UN chief condemns ‘absurdity’ of war, in Ukraine visit

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday visited sites of alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine, decrying war as “an absurdity in the 21st century” and urging Russia to co-operate with an international investigation into atrocities.   

Making his first visit to Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion on February 24, Guterres toured several towns and villages outside Kyiv where Russian forces are accused of killing civilians.   

 “The war is an absurdity in the 21st century. The war is evil,” he added.   
In neighbouring Bucha, where dozens of bodies in civilian clothes, some with their hands tied behind their backs, were discovered this month after a Russian withdrawal, Guterres backed an International Criminal Court investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine.   

 “I appeal to the Russian Federation to accept, to co-operate with the ICC,” he implored the Kremlin.   

The UN head will later meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On Tuesday, he met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, repeating calls for both Moscow and Kyiv to work together to set up “safe and effective” humanitarian corridors in war-torn Ukraine.   

A UN representative to Ukraine said Thursday she was preparing for a “hopeful” evacuation from the encircled port city in south-eastern Ukraine, where Kyiv says civilians and injured fighters are trapped.  
BUCHA (AFP) 28 April 2022