UN chief 'deeply concerned' by Russian threats of new strikes on Kyiv

He stated this at a high-level open debate of the UN Security Council, Ukrinform reports, citing the UN press service.

Guterres said the UN Charter had been created after devastating world wars with the promise that "the force of law must prevail over the law of force" and that international disputes would be settled by peaceful means.

However, he warned that international law is increasingly being ignored and violations often go unpunished. According to Guterres, the world is currently facing the highest number of armed conflicts since the founding of the United Nations.

"I am deeply concerned by a recent announcement by the Russian Federation to launch consistent and systemic strikes against Ukrainian defense enterprises in Kyiv – as well as against decision making centers and command posts – following reports of a Ukrainian drone attack on a college building and dormitory in the Ukrainian city of Starobilsk, presently occupied by the Russian Federation," Guterres said.

He added that "now more than ever, it is imperative to avoid any escalation of a conflict that has already exacted a devastating toll on civilians, and that risks making the search for peace even more distant, prolonging the suffering of people."

Guterres also warned about a new arms race, noting that military spending has reached record levels while lethal weapons are becoming cheaper and more accessible.

He said the rapid development of artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons systems is particularly alarming because it is outpacing international regulatory mechanisms.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stated that several Russian military targets were struck on the night of May 21 to 22, including one of the headquarters of the Russian Rubikon unit near Starobilsk.

The Russian Foreign Ministry later announced that Moscow was "beginning to carry out systemic strikes on enterprises of Ukraine's military-industrial complex in Kyiv." The ministry also urged foreign nationals to "leave the city as soon as possible" and advised Kyiv residents to avoid military and administrative infrastructure facilities.

On May 25, the Russian Foreign Ministry also circulated a propaganda-style statement claiming that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, acting on orders from Putin, had warned U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a phone call that Moscow intended to continue strikes on Kyiv and had "advised" the evacuation of diplomatic personnel.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the move as "a spit in the face of diplomacy and a brazen provocation demonstrating Russia's contempt for peace efforts," calling for a strong international response.

EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova stated that threats against diplomats and international organizations are not a sign of strength, but of desperation, adding that EU diplomats would continue working in Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Germany's Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian ambassador in Berlin over Russia's massive strikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and attempts to intimidate foreign diplomatic missions in Kyiv.