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West portrayed UN chief’s visit to Moscow in ‘perverted manner’ — diplomat

"They deliberately create an impression that Ukraine and the United Nations talked Russia into opening a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians from Azovstal", Vasily Nebenzya said

UNITED NATIONS, May 6. /TASS/. Western media and politicians portrayed a recent visit to Russia and Ukraine by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in an "absolutely perverted manner," Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya told the UN Security Council.

"Secretary-General’s trip to Russia and Ukraine was presented both by Western Media and politicians in an absolutely perverted manner. They deliberately create an impression that Ukraine and the United Nations talked Russia into opening a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians from Azovstal. However, Russian side opens humanitarian corridors regularly. By the way, they are open today as well," he told a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine on Thursday.

Guterres met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last week. During the open part of the meeting, the Russian leader said civilians, if there are any at Azovstal, may leave while the Ukrainian servicemen are obligated to let them out. The Russian president noted that Russia’s humanitarian corridors from Mariupol are functioning, and about 130,000-140,000 people who are free to go wherever they want, to Russia or to Ukraine, have already used them. According to the Russian head of state, if there are civilians at Azovstal then using them as human shields is a crime on the part of Ukrainian nationalist battalions.

Putin also noted that the example of other Ukrainian servicemen, who have surrendered to the Russian troops, may serve as a good example for militants holed up in Azovstal. The Russian leader said that Russia was ready to grant access to those individuals for UN and Red Cross representatives.