The United Nations has spoken about the claims of genocide being committed in Ukraine by Russia. The International body declined to support accusations by Zelensky in Kiev and Biden in Washington of Russia’s act of genocide against the Ukrainian people.
Ravina Shamdasani, the spokesperson for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), was addressed on the issue by journalists on Friday.
“No, we have not documented patterns that could amount to [genocide],” she responded.
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Shamdasani pointed out there were “a lot of these legal qualifications – crimes against humanity and genocide – at the end of the day would be for a court of law to determine.”
According to the UN’s own definition, ‘genocide’ includes “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had accused Moscow of “genocide” after the events in the Kiev suburb of Bucha, where numerous bodies with signs of execution were discovered on April 1, shortly after the withdrawal of Russian troops from the area.
US President Joe Biden followed Zelensky’s lead and also accused Russia of committing genocide, and of “trying to wipe out the idea of even being Ukrainian.”
Biden’s genocide comments caused confusion in Washington, with NBC reporting that US intelligence agencies didn’t have information to support Biden’s assertion.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
