Criticising UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his comments on the Russian missile strike on the Central Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia, Moscow said on Friday that the world organisation's task is not to take sides in disputable situations, but to contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability.
The UN chief had said he was "appalled" by the strike which left at least 23 dead and dozens of people injured.
However, quoting information from its Defence Ministry, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said today that its Kalibr high-precision missiles had hit the garrison house of officers, which at that moment was hosting a meeting of the Ukrainian Air Force command with representatives of foreign arms suppliers.
"And this is probably known to the UN. If not, then we recommend A. Guterres to ask Ukraine to answer the question why the Kyiv regime places military facilities in close proximity to civilian ones?" commented Zakharova.
Accusing the UN Secretariat of not taking an equidistant position, Russia said that the representatives of the world organisation do not notice when the Armed Forces of Ukraine carry out missile strikes on civilian objects and residential areas in cities.
Giving an example, Zakharova said that neither Guterres, nor his official representative, nor anyone else from the UN Secretariat condemned the attack on the civilian population and civilian infrastructure in Kursk and Belgorod (July 3) and on New Kakhovka (July 12).
"The UN has repeatedly ignored reports of the death of civilians, including children, from the strikes of Ukrainian troops. Also, the official representative of the UN Secretary General, S. Dujarric, did not have any information that Ukraine uses the civilian population as a human shield," said the Russian MFA spokesperson.
"I would like to remind respected colleagues in the Secretariat of the world Organization that their task is not to take sides in disputable situations but to contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability. For this they receive a salary, and they are authorized to do this," she added.
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