“In the name of humanity, return your troops to Russia,” urged the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, after the announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin about the start of a “military operation special” in Ukraine, followed by a series of explosions in the European country.

From the UN headquarters in New York, the Portuguese diplomat asked the Russian president, “in the name of humanity, not to allow what could be the worst war since the beginning of the century to start in Europe.”

At the same time, in the UN Security Council, the urgently called meeting became explosive, as Putin chose that moment to announce, in a television message, the start of his military operation in Ukraine.

The Russian representative announced to the other members of the Security Council that the military operation is aimed at “the junta in power in Ukraine”, making clear President Putin’s intention to overthrow the government of that country.

Video of the first explosions in Ukraine by Putin’s Russian offensive

In response, the representative of Ukraine commented to the Russian diplomat that “war criminals go straight to hell”, echoing the messages of its president, who, after launching a final call for peace, warned that his government would try to resist Russian troops.

The US representative, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, indicated, for her part, that, at the same time that the Security Council was in session, Putin launched his message of war against Ukraine.

The representative of Mexico, Alicia Buenrostro Massieu –who spoke in the absence of Juan Ramón de la Fuente– gave an outdated speech, because while speaking of a possible de-escalation of the conflict, Putin gave his television message announcing the military operation to achieve, in their terms, the “demilitarization” and “denazification” of Ukraine.

Despite the fact that it was left isolated and on the margins of the other members of the Security Council –of which it had the presidency–, Russia continues to have its seat and the right of veto in the international organization, whose mission is to avoid conflicts global.