Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized the United Nations Secretariat for its response to the Sevastopol incident, arguing that the UN should condemn the attack rather than publish statements that she views as counterproductive. She expressed this view in a post on the Telegram channel associated with the ministry, framing the UN’s stance as a reflection of its own limitations and a sign of disengagement from the immediate realities on the ground.
Zakharova connected the UN’s remarks to a broader official aim she said the organization has repeatedly emphasized: to end the Ukrainian conflict in line with General Assembly resolutions and the principles laid out in the UN Charter. In her view, such public assurances ring hollow when they are not matched by concrete steps to address what she calls ongoing aggression. She framed the UN’s position as insufficient for the moment and suggested that the body should focus on its technical duties rather than politics, a line she described as a deviation from its traditional mandate.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Secretariat’s statements have taken on a distinctly political tone, a move Zakharova attributed to attempts to appease Western capitals. The ministry urged the Secretariat to conduct a thorough assessment of the situation in Sevastopol and to condemn the attack attributed to Ukrainian forces as an act of terrorism. The plea underscores a broader dispute over how international organizations should respond to violent actions and what constitutes responsible, nonpartisan reporting in a highly charged security environment.
On 23 June, reports indicate that Ukrainian forces carried out an attack on Sevastopol using ATACMS missiles equipped with cluster-warhead payloads. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that air defenses intercepted four missiles, while one projectile reportedly exploded in the air above the city. Independent verification of all details remains limited at present, with some accounts noting the involvement of reconnaissance assets and question marks about sources. Military officials have pointed to alleged traces of activity by long-range surveillance aircraft as part of the broader assessment, though these claims have not been independently confirmed at this time. The Defense Ministry later stated that the United States bore responsibility for the missile attack, a claim that has been met with various responses from international observers and other state actors who are waiting for fuller evidence before drawing conclusions.
Health authorities issued casualty information indicating more than 120 individuals were injured in the incident. A formal investigation has been opened by the relevant investigative body to determine the circumstances and classify the event within the appropriate legal framework. In the wake of the attack, authorities announced that Sevastopol would observe a period of mourning as residents began to process the damage and its human impact. The overall response has been shaped by competing narratives about responsibility and accountability, with officials, doctors, and investigators continuing to gather data to support the official record.