The African Union, AU, on Thursday said it is extremely concerned at the very serious and dangerous situation created in Ukraine, calling on Russia and other actors to respect international law, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.
In a statement shared via its official Twitter handle, it said: “The current Chair of the African Union and President of Senegal, President Macky Sall, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, express their extreme concern at the very serious and dangerous situation created in Ukraine.’’
The AU advised Russia and Ukraine to declare an immediate cease-fire and immediately begin political negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations in order to protect the world from the consequences of planetary conflict and to promote peace and stability in international relations in the service of all peoples.
Recall that Russian forces struck Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday after President Vladimir Putin stated that a “special military operation” in the country’s east had been authorised.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin described the current phase of the Russia’s military operation as the ‘tip of the spear’, noting that the vast majority of Russian troops are not yet in Ukraine.
Their assessments came after Russia attacked key cities across Ukraine, leading to hundreds of casualties and prompting a warning from the Ukrainian president that saboteurs have entered Kyiv.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement that at least 137 people have been killed and 316 have sustained injuries during the deadly invasion. In a video address, he later warned of saboteurs entering the Ukranian capital.
He said; “We also have information that enemy sabotage groups have entered Kyiv
“They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state”