(By Gary Raynaldo  / ©Diplomatic Times)   United Nations Secretary-General António at UN headquarters in New York. (File) 

By  Gary   Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

UNITED  NATIONS  –   NEW  YORK  –   UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated his call Monday for an immediate  humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine to allow delivery of life-saving aid as well as evacuations amid more  attacks on cities across the country. 

“The Secretary-General strongly urges all parties to enact an urgent and immediate humanitarian ceasefire, which will enable the safe and secure functioning of humanitarian corridors, help evacuate civilian residents and also deliver life-saving humanitarian and medical assistance.”

-UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said during press briefing at UN Headquarters.

(By Gary Raynaldo  / ©Diplomatic Times)  United Nations Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric during press briefing at UN Headquarters  April 18, 2022. 

The UN Secretary-General’s appeal came after attacks on cities across the country– most recently Lviv, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Mykolaiv – which resulted in numerous civilian casualties and destruction.  Dujarric said Guterres  is deeply concerned by the continuing attacks on Ukrainian cities  causing more  casualties and destruction in residential areas, as well as civilian infrastructure. 

“The Secretary-General is greatly concerned by the continuing appalling humanitarian situation in the besieged city of Mariupol, which has been largely destroyed by weeks of unrelenting Russian attacks. Genuine negotiations must be given a chance to succeed and to bring lasting peace. The Secretary-General and the UN stand ready to support such efforts,”

-UN spokesperson 

12 Million People in Ukraine Displaced – UN 

The UN said that more than one in four people in Ukraine has been displaced, amounting to 12 million people – including 4.9 million refugees and 7.1 million internally displaced persons.  Returns to Ukraine are increasing.  The UN spokesperson said  the UN has  reports from border services that more than 870,000 people have returned since 24 February. Recent returnees include women and children and older people, and returnees are creating new challenges for the humanitarian response in terms of reconstruction and reintegration.