Kyiv/TEH: Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko accused Russia of carrying out “ethnic cleansing” against the Ukrainian people.
This came during a visit by Klitschko to a park in Kyiv that is to be called “Heroes of Mariupol”, in reference to the residents of the coastal city of Mariupol besieged by Russian forces.
Pointing to the presence of a statue in the park that symbolizes the friendship between Russia and Ukraine, Klitschko said, “How can we talk about friendship while Russia is attacking us and launching an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Ukrainian people and destroying our people and our cities.”
In this context, Klitschko explained that a vote will be held in the Kyiv city council to remove “Moscow” and “Minsk” from the names of streets, roads and subways in the capital. The Eastern Herald online magazine .
There was no immediate comment from the Russian side on the Ukrainian official’s accusations.
At least 19,664 civilians have been killed and 2,613 injured in Ukraine since Russia launched its war, according to United Nations estimates, and the real number is feared to be much higher. One of the online magazines , The Eastern Herald.
The United Nations refugee agency said that more than 4.7 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries since the start of the war, which began on February 24, while more than 7 million have been internally displaced.
On February 24, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine , followed by international rejection and severe economic sanctions against Moscow, which stipulate to end its operation that Kyiv abandon plans to join military entities and remain neutral, which the latter considers an “interference in its sovereignty.”
