Video shows the moment UN ambassadors hear of Russia's Ukraine invasion

Russian representative appears to be blindsided by the news of the invasion
William Mata29 January 2024

The secretary general of the United Nations said he saw the mission of the organisation "crumbling" before his eyes when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Footage has been shared for the first time of the moment when the UN security council learned of the attack in February 2022.

The BBC released the scenes on Monday (January 29) as part of a news bulletin and the clip features interviews with UN members who were present in the chamber at the time.

UN secretary general António Guterres said: "The main reason for the UN is to maintain peace. So, when you have a permanent member of the security council invading another country, it's like you see your mission crumble."

The council was shown to be in full session when news came through that Russian troops had crossed into Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

They had been holding an emergency meeting to discuss the imminent threat of invasion.

The clip also reveals that Vasily Nebenzya, the representative for Russia, was blindsided by the news.

When Mr Guterres asked him if he knew this was about to happen: "I said this was the first time I hear."

Sergiy Kyslytsya, the Ukrainian ambassador, is shown to look distressed by the news.

British ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward said: "The news whips around the security council, you can almost hear the mobile phones on silent mode vibrating.

"My Russian counterpart looks at his phone and he sees the news because he clearly has not been told that Russia is about to invade."

US representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield added: "We expected this attack was going to happen. None of us expected the audacity, that the attack would happen while we were sitting in the council."

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