'Peace talks mask Russia’s brutality': UNICEF chief, Poland’s envoy on Russian strike on Kyiv

Espreso correspondent Kateryna Halko reported the information.

Piotr Lukasiewicz called the Russian attack on Ukraine on August 28 outrageous, brutal, and unjust.

“A very tragic and completely unnecessary attack on civilians, yet another of the many attacks on the civilian population. I am deeply moved by what I see — ruins, a destroyed building — and we know that as a result of this attack a three-year-old child was killed. This was a deliberate strike against civilians. It is especially cruel that it happened at night, when people were sleeping, when they were resting,” Lukasiewicz said.

He emphasized that the strikes on Ukraine are further tragic proof that Russia only talks about peace but in fact intends to continue this war and wage it ever more brutally.

“All so‑called peace negotiations are just a cover for the cruel actions we are witnessing today. We gathered diplomats, including European diplomats, who, incidentally, were also affected by the nighttime attack. The European Union delegation in Kyiv also felt its impact. 

The only conclusion, the only call and the result of this attack is the growing determination of European and international partners, including Poland, to support Ukraine, help defend its territory, especially in the field of air defense, and to expose Russian lies and propaganda aimed at spreading falsehoods about alleged peaceful intentions that do not actually exist,” added Poland's chargé d’affaires to Ukraine.

Munir Mamedzade, head of UNICEF’s office in Ukraine, said it is horrifying to hear about children killed.

“Of course, it is terrible to witness this large-scale attack this morning. As reported this morning by the foreign minister, four children were killed. For us, for UNICEF, it is horrific to hear about such a number of children killed, and many more children were injured. We are deeply saddened by this fact and would like to extend our condolences to the families of the affected children, to the whole country and the city. 

There are only a few days left before the start of the school year, which is usually a time when parents and children come together to prepare for the new school year. Instead of celebrating and preparing for something new, opening a new chapter in their lives, we are watching everything and do not know what will happen next. Therefore we strongly call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, because Russia’s full-scale invasion, unfortunately, is taking too many lives and it must stop,” Mamedzade commented.

• On the evening of 27 August, the Russian army launched strike UAVs against Ukrainian territory; later missile launches were reported. In Kyiv, there were casualties as a result of the attack. Eighteen people were killed, including four children.
• As a result of the Russian attack in Kyiv the buildings of the European Union Delegation and the British Council were damaged.
• Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Ministry has condemned Russia's August 28 massive strike on Ukraine.