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world news Diabierna 8 aPriL 2022
UN aid chief:

‘I’m not optimistic’ about Ukraine ceasefire

(AP) — The United Na- aimed at ending the war. ating humanitarian corridors
tions’ humanitarian chief that allow civilians to escape
said Thursday he’s not op- Griffiths suggested that goal the fighting.
timistic about securing a remained far in the distance.
ceasefire to halt the fight- “This war is not stopping to-
ing in Ukraine following “Obviously, we all want that morrow,” he said. “Where we
high-level talks in Mos- to happen. But as you know are a little bit closer is to get
cow and Kyiv that under- — you’re here — that’s not the understanding of both
scored how far apart the going to happen immediate- sides ... of what a local cease-
two sides are. ly,” he said. fire would affect. There are
many parts of Ukraine where
Undersecretary-General Russia launched its assault on we can achieve tomorrow lo-
Martin Griffiths gave the Ukraine just over six weeks cal ceasefires, which are de-
bleak assessment in an in- ago, on February 24. The fined in geography and time.”
terview with The Associated fighting has displaced mil-
Press in the Ukrainian capi- lions of people within the Relief supplies have begun
tal after wrapping up talks country and prompted more flowing to some harder to ing, Griffiths said, because called for an immediate end
with Prime Minister Denys than 4 million Ukrainians to reach parts of the country, he they require that forces don’t to the fighting in Ukraine, on
Shmyhal and other top offi- seek shelter abroad. noted. move and so therefore could March 2 and March 24.
cials. That followed discus- not regroup elsewhere.
sions with Russian Foreign The UN’s human rights of- Russian troops have with- Griffiths said he expects to
Minister Sergey Lavrov in fice has recorded more than drawn from parts of Ukraine, Aid groups have struggled to travel to Turkey in the next
Moscow earlier in the week. 1,400 civilians killed in the particularly around Kyiv, get supplies to those in need. week for further talks aimed
fighting, though the actual ahead of what many believe at reaching a ceasefire. That
“I think it’s not going to be numbers of deaths is certain is an intensified push in the Over the past week, mem- country, which shares a Black
easy because the two sides, as to be higher. country’s east. bers of a Red Cross convoy Sea coast with Russia and
I know now ... have very little were prevented from reach- Ukraine, maintains ties with
trust in each other,” he said. Representatives of the two Ukrainian Foreign Minis- ing the besieged city of Mari- both and has positioned itself
countries have held a num- ter Dmytro Kuleba renewed upol to help evacuate a con- as a go-between for peace ne-
“I’m not optimistic,” he add- ber of meetings by video link his country’s plea for more voy of civilians. They were gotiations.
ed later. and in person, but those dis- weapons from NATO coun- detained at one point during
cussions have not ended the tries Thursday, pointing to their mission, and eventu- He also expects to return to
U.N. Secretary-General An- fighting. atrocities that have come to ally ended up accompanying Moscow, and characterized
tonio Guterres dispatched light in the town of Bucha around 1,000 people who had his most recent visit as a first
Griffiths to the Russian and Short of a full ceasefire, and other areas that Russian found ways of their own out round of talks.
Ukrainian capitals to explore Griffiths said he is seeking troops have withdrawn from of Mariupol to a city further
the possibility of establish- ways to build confidence in recent days. west. “Look, I’m used to the idea
ing a cease-fire that would on both sides and focus on that a ceasefire, which is what
allow desperately needed aid smaller goals, such as es- Local ceasefires could still An overwhelming major- I’m tasked to try and achieve,
into Ukraine and potentially tablishing local ceasefires in mean progress even in ar- ity of the 193-member U.N. takes time,” he said.
lay the groundwork for talks parts of the country and cre- eas without ongoing fight- General Assembly has twice

Russian retreat reveals destruction as Ukraine asks for help

(AP) — Russian troops left serving as an aid-distribution Europe and beyond. saw dozens of bodies in Bu- His comments came in re-
behind crushed buildings, point in Chernihiv, which cha, some burned, others ap- sponse to a reporter’s ques-
streets littered with de- Russian forces besieged for Ukrainian Foreign Minis- parently shot at close range or tion about a video allegedly
stroyed cars and residents weeks as part of their attempt ter Dmytro Kuleba warned with their hands bound. In showing Ukrainian soldiers
in dire need of food and to sweep south towards the Thursday that despite a re- all, Ukrainian officials have shooting a captured and
other aid in a northern capital. In chalk on the black- cent Russian pullback, it’s said hundreds of bodies of wounded Russian soldier.
Ukrainian city, giving fuel board in one classroom read: not over, pleading for “weap- civilians were found in towns He said he had not seen the
to Kyiv’s calls Thursday “Wednesday the 23rd of Feb- ons, weapons and weapons” around the capital city. video but that it would be in-
for more Western support ruary — class work.” from NATO to face down vestigated and acknowledged
to help halt Moscow’s of- the coming offensive in the Ukrainian and several West- that there could be “isolated
fensive before it refocuses Russia invaded the next day, east. Nations from the west- ern leaders have blamed incidents” of violations.
on the country’s east. launching a war that has seen ern alliance agreed to increase the massacres on Moscow’s
more than 4 million Ukraini- their supply of arms, spurred troops, and the weekly Der The video has not been in-
Dozens of people lined up ans flee the country, displaced on by reports of atrocities by Spiegel reported Thursday dependently verified by The
for food, diapers and medi- millions more within it, and Russian forces in areas sur- that Germany’s foreign intel- Associated Press.
cine at a shattered school now sent shockwaves throughout rounding Kyiv. ligence agency had intercept-
ed radio messages between In the 6-week-old war, Presi-
Western allies also ramped Russian soldiers discussing dent Vladimir Putin’s forces
up financial penalties aimed the killings of civilians. Rus- have failed to take Ukraine’s
at Moscow on Thursday, in- sia has falsely claimed that the capital quickly and achieve
cluding a ban by the Euro- scenes in Bucha were staged. what Western countries said
pean Union on Russian coal was the Russian leader’s ini-
imports. Kuleba became emotional tial aim of ousting the Ukrai-
while referring to the horrors nian government. In the wake
Kuleba encouraged Western in the town, telling reporters of that setback and heavy
countries to continue bearing that they couldn’t understand losses, Russia shifted its fo-
down on Russia, suggesting “how it feels after seeing pic- cus to the Donbas, a mostly
that any let up will ultimately tures from Bucha, talking to Russian-speaking, industrial
result in more suffering for people who escaped, know- region in eastern Ukraine
Ukrainians. ing that the person you know where Moscow-backed reb-
was raped four days in a row.” els have been fighting Ukrai-
Associated Press journalists nian forces for eight years.