Russia Accuses UN Secretary-General of Role in 'Plot' Over Bucha

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the United Nations secretary-general was involved in what she described as a plot to blame Moscow for what she termed the "Bucha provocation," according to a report by Russian state news agency TASS.

Zakharova stated that such involvement would constitute "a violation of the principle of neutrality, which is fundamental for the chief administrative officer of the United Nations," TASS reported.

The claim relates to events in Bucha, a town near Kyiv, where the bodies of civilians were discovered in April 2022 after Russian forces withdrew from the area. Ukrainian authorities and Western governments have attributed the killings to Russian troops, a characterization Russia has repeatedly rejected. Moscow has instead described the events as staged, referring to them as a "provocation" intended to discredit Russia.

The specific details of the alleged plot and evidence supporting Zakharova's claim were not outlined in the available report. TASS did not attribute a direct response from the United Nations secretary-general's office to the allegation in the cited material.

The United Nations has previously called for independent investigations into the deaths in Bucha. This report reflects statements made by Russian officials and has not been independently verified.