english.jpnn.com, MOSCOW - The United Nations (UN) has responded to Russia's recent attack on Ukraine.
Russia has started the invasion by firing missiles and landing its troops on the Ukrainian coastline. An explosion was heard near the main airport of Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Thursday (24/2) morning local time.
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UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw his troops.
"In the name of humanity, do not allow to start in Europe what could be the worst war since the beginning of this century," Guterres said, as quoted by Al Jazeera, Thursday (24/2).
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Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenza said his country was indeed carrying out a special operation.
However, he said this military operation was not aimed at sparking a world war.
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"Its goal will be to defend people who for eight years are suffering persecution and genocide by the Kyiv regime," said Nebenza.
He claimed the action was in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.
At the same time, Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya said that Putin had declared war on Ukraine.
"There is no purgatory for war criminals. They go straight to hell, Ambassador," Kyslytsya insisted.
On the other hand, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) held an emergency meeting to discuss the attack.
Putin said he demanded NATO stop all military activity in Eastern Europe, including in Ukraine.
Russia also asked NATO to never accept Ukraine and other ex-Soviet countries as members. (mcr9/mcr20/jpnn)
This news has been broadcast on JPNN.com with the title: Rusia Gempur Ukraina, Begini Perdebatan yang Terjadi di PBB