Manipulation: the UN condemns the shelling of civilian infrastructure in the occupied Nova Kakhovka

Russian media, as well as netizens, are spreading manipulative information about the United Nations that allegedly condemned the shelling of civilian infrastructure in Nova Kakhovka by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Propagandists refer to such a statement by the official representative of the Secretary General of the Organization, Farhan Haq.

Official representative of the UN Secretary General Farhan Haq has condemned the shelling of Nova Kakhovka by the Armed Forces. “We oppose any shelling of civilian infrastructure,” TASS quoted him as saying. Earlier it was reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched a missile strike at the city of Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson region at night.

The United Nations has commented on the missile attacks of the Ukrainian military on Novaya Kakhovka, Kherson region, speaking out against the shelling of civilian infrastructure. “We oppose any shelling of civilian infrastructure,” TASS quotes him as saying. The injured residents of the city began to arrive at the hospital, stressing that the medical personnel is in the shelter, but continue to accept the wounded, the head of the MSA noted.

In fact, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary General Farhan Haq has refused to comment on the explosions in Nova Kakhovka. Moreover, he did not say that the Armed Forces of Ukraine were allegedly shelling civilian infrastructure in the city temporarily occupied by Russian troops. In fact, this false statement belongs to Dmitry Polyansky, First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN. That is, the statement spread by the Russian media is a manipulation. The reason for the dissemination of this information was a brief comment of the official representative of the UN Secretary General, Farhan Haq, to Sputnik, the Russian propaganda media, which was eventually misrepresented. The Sputnik tells about the events in Nova Kakhovka, it is said that the deputy official representative of the UN Secretary General, Farhan Haq, had refused to comment on the shelling of Nova Kakhovka. “No comments on this issue,” Haq told Sputnik, “As a general comment, we oppose any military action that results in the destruction of civilian buildings.”

The UN has not made an official statement about the recent explosions in Nova Kakhovka, temporarily occupied by Russian troops. However, the very statement that the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit a civilian object is not true. According to the adviser to the head of the Kherson regional military administration, Sergey Khlan, an ammunition depot was destroyed in Nova Kakhovka, on July 11. The “South” operational command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was also stated this. The statements of the Russians that the warehouse with saltpeter or humanitarian aid has been destroyed do not find any confirmation. Companies selling similar fertilizers are located at other addresses. Local residents also did not confirm a warehouse with fertilizers or humanitarian aid there. Google maps show there were service stations, various shops and auto repair shops. The detonation of ammunition the next day does not confirm the statements of Russian media and officials about fertilizers instead of the weapons depot there. This is evidenced by the duration and intensity of the explosions recorded on the video of eyewitnesses.