In a scathing rebuke, Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, has strongly criticized UN Secretary General António Guterres for his recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The encounter, which took place on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, saw Guterres shaking hands with Putin, a gesture that Navalnaya denounced as a show of cordiality with a “murderer” amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Posting a photo of the meeting on X (formerly Twitter), Navalnaya expressed her disapproval, stating, “It was the third year of the war, and the UN Secretary-General was shaking hands with a murderer.” Her late husband, Alexei Navalny, a prominent Kremlin critic, died in February while serving as a political prisoner in Russia.
Guterres Calls for “Just Peace” Amidst Violations
During the meeting, Guterres reportedly told Putin that “the Russian invasion of Ukraine was in violation of the United Nations charter and international law,” according to a readout from the UN chief’s spokesperson. Despite this admonition, Guterres went on to call for a “just peace” in Ukraine, a statement that some observers found lacking in conviction given the UN’s limited response to Russia’s aggression.
For his part, Putin remained steadfast in his position, insisting that Moscow was ready to consider options to end the conflict, but only based on the “reality on the ground.” He accused the West of using Ukraine to “create critical threats to Russia’s security,” reiterating his oft-repeated justification for the invasion.
North Korean Troop Involvement Hinted
In a significant development, Putin refrained from denying reports of North Korean troops being deployed to Ukraine when questioned by a reporter. Referencing satellite imagery that allegedly showed troop movements, the Russian leader remarked, “Images are a serious thing. If there are images, then they reflect something.” This non-denial has fueled speculation about the extent of North Korea’s involvement in the conflict.
Both the United States and South Korea have asserted that North Korean troops have reached Ukraine, with Ukraine’s military intelligence service claiming that the first contingent has been deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, an area that has seen Ukrainian counter-offensives.
Mounting Casualties and ICC Referral
As the war grinds on, the human cost continues to escalate. On Thursday, Russian attacks in eastern Ukraine claimed at least six lives and wounded ten more, according to regional authorities. The town of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region was hit by a thermobaric bomb, while shelling near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region killed three people. Russian media reported advances into the coal mining town of Selydove, underscoring the ongoing intensity of the fighting.
In a related development, the International Criminal Court (ICC) referred Mongolia to its oversight body for failing to arrest Putin when he visited in September. The court, which has issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president in connection with the Ukraine war, deemed Mongolia’s inaction a serious failure to cooperate. The referral will be taken up by the ICC’s oversight body, the Assembly of States Parties, in December.
Belarus Sentences Ukrainians, Ukraine Targets Draft Evasion
In Belarus, a father and son from Ukraine were sentenced to 20 years in prison each after being convicted of preparing terrorist acts. Serhiy Kabarchuk and his son Pavlo were arrested in February for allegedly stockpiling weapons and explosives. State television aired footage of the pair confessing to acting under the direction of Ukraine’s SBU security service, though many observers believe such confessions are made under duress in the authoritarian country.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has stepped up efforts to combat draft evasion, with authorities detaining six people, including three army recruitment officials, in Kyiv. The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) seized over $1.2 million in cash and luxury cars as part of the probe, alleging that a civilian acted as an intermediary to remove people from call-up lists in exchange for substantial bribes. The scheme may have aided “thousands” in evading military service.
As the war enters its third year, the meeting between Guterres and Putin has thrown into sharp relief the complexities and moral quandaries faced by the international community in its response to the conflict. With casualties mounting, reports of foreign troop involvement, and ongoing efforts to bring perpetrators to justice, the path to a “just peace” remains elusive. The widow of Alexei Navalny’s poignant criticism serves as a stark reminder of the human toll of the war and the challenges that lie ahead in holding those responsible to account.
