UN is under attack by Russia: Ukraine at UNSC meet

United Nations, Feb 22: The Ukrainian envoy has called the Russian action of recognising the Donetsk and Luhansk "a virus" that has hit the United Nations.

At the UNSC meeting, Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukrainian Ambassador to United Nations said "We want peace and we are consistent in our actions...We are committed to a political & diplomatic settlement, we do not succumb to provocations.

"We demand Russia to return to the table for negotiations. We condemn the order to deploy additional Russian occupation troops in the territories of Ukraine. We demand the immediate and complete verifiable withdrawal of occupation troops," he said.

"Today, the entire membership of the United Nations is under attack. Under attack by the country that occupied the membership of the Security Council in 1991 bypassing the UN charter. The country that occupied parts of Ukraine in 2014," he added.

The Ukrainian envoy compared the Russian action of recognising the Donetsk and Luhansk to "a virus" that has hit the United Nations. "The virus has been spread by the Kremlin... The international borders of Ukraine are and will remain unchangeable," he added.

Earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine is "not afraid of anyone or anything."

He spoke during a chaotic day in which Russia appeared to be moving closer to an invasion, with President Vladimir Putin recognising separatist regions of eastern Ukraine and then ordering forces there.

The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine and ordered Russian troops to "maintain the peace" there.