UN frees funds for humanitarian aid in Ukraine
Published:Thursday | February 24, 2022 | 2:13 PM
UNITED NATIONS — Repeating a plea for Russia to halt its invasion of Ukraine, the United Nations chief said Thursday the world body was freeing up $20 million for urgent humanitarian needs in the country.
“Stop the military operation. Bring the troops back to Russia,” Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at UN headquarters.
He called the offensive wrong and unacceptable, but not irreversible.
“It's not too late to save this generation from the scourge of war,” Guterres said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the assault is meant to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists have been fighting the government for nearly eight years.
The US, however, said ahead of time that Russia would try to justify an invasion by falsely claiming that the rebel-held areas were under attack.
The UN said Thursday it was relocating some of its roughly 1,500 staffers in Ukraine.
However, Guterres reiterated that the UN will continue providing aid to people in the country, “regardless of who or where they are.”
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