UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The UN secretary-general on Thursday warned Russia against annexation referendums in territories under its control in Ukraine, saying they violated the UN Charter.
During a meeting of the UN Security Council on the Ukrainian question, Antonio Guterres also declared that the threats of nuclear conflict were “absolutely unacceptable”, while Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday mentioned a possible recourse to nuclear weapons. atomic weapon.
Four referendums must be organized from Friday in the regions occupied by the Russian army.
“Any annexation of territories belonging to a State by another State resulting from the threat or use of force constitutes a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and of international law”, said Antonio Guterres.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who was due to speak to the Council, was not present when the UN Secretary General made the remarks.
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, explained to the Council that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that crimes falling within the jurisdiction of the Court had been committed in Ukraine.
He indicated that priority was given to the intentional destruction of public property as well as to the transfer of people out of Ukraine, in particular of children.
(Report Humeyra Pamuk, Michelle Nichols, Daphne Psaledakis, John Irish and Brendan McDermid; French version Camille Raynaud, editing by Sophie Louet)
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