The Ukrainian Health Ministry “calls on the [World Health Organization] (WHO) to stop any cooperation and information exchange with the Russian Federation,” the ministry said in a Facebook post on Sunday. The Ukrainian officials accused the Russian forces of “crimes against humanity.”
“Russia has launched terrorist attacks against civilians and medics in Ukraine,” the ministry said, adding that the Russian troops taking part in the ongoing military operation in Ukraine “are shelling hospitals, ambulances, orphanages, and civilians.”
The ministry has not provided any specific examples or evidence to support its claims. It has called on all other UN agencies in charge of humanitarian affairs to move their offices out of Moscow.
The statement comes four days into a large-scale military operation Moscow launched in Ukraine. The operation has been aimed at “demilitarization” and “denazification” of Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. Russia has repeatedly stated that its forces are not targeting any civilian objects. It specifically said that it uses high-precision weapons to strike Ukraine’s military infrastructure. Kiev has previously blamed Russia over incidents that saw projectiles hitting residential buildings, including in the Ukrainian capital – something the Russian military denied.
The WHO has not responded to Ukraine’s appeal so far.