United Nations rejects Ukraine president's request to label Russian military operation as "genocide"

United Nations rejects Ukraine president's request to label Russian military operation as "genocide"

The United Nations has responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request to General Secretary Antonio Guterres on Saturday evening, asking him to describe the Russian military operation in Donbass as an act of “genocide”.

“The General Secretary cannot alone determine whether genocide is taking place anywhere in the world,” spokesman Stéphane Dujarric told the media.

“This must be done through a particular legal process,” he said.

“For the United Nations, genocide can only be determined through legal proceedings,” he explained, adding that it was not the prerogative of the General Secretary to do so.

At one time, Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly asked Guterres to strip Russia of its UN Security Council veto power and to recognise Moscow’s actions in Ukraine as an act of genocide.