New York, September 30 – Russian President Vladimir Putin formally signed documents to annex four Ukrainian regions and declared that Ukrainians living in the areas are “Russian citizens forever.”
The Russian seizure of Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia was strongly condemned by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as an escalation of the seven-month war in Ukraine.
“In this moment of peril, I must underscore my duty as Secretary-General to uphold the Charter of the United Nations,” Guterres said in a statement issued the day before Putin signed decrees annexing the Ukrainian territories in a ceremony in the Great Kremlin Palace. The annexation followed referenda conducted by Russia in the four territories, which the UN said were faked and not legal.
“The UN Charter is clear,” Guterres said. “Any annexation of a state’s territory by another state resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the Principles of the UN Charter and international law.”
“Any decision to proceed with the annexation would have no legal value and deserves to be condemned,” Guterres said. “The position of the United Nations is unequivocal: we are fully committed to the sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders, in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions.”
The UN leader reminded Putin that Russia is one of the five permanent members of the 15-nation UN Security Council, and “it shares a particular responsibility to respect the Charter.” The other four permanent members are the United States, United Kingdom, France and China. The five members have veto power over council’s decisions regarding global peace and security.
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