LocationsOriginally published on the United Nations in Ukraine's website on 8 March 2022
There is a mistaken impression that UN staff were told to avoid using certain words to describe the situation in Ukraine.
It is simply not the case that staff have been instructed not to use words like “war” and “invasion” to describe the situation. In fact, on Monday, the head of political affairs, Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo, tweeted the following: “Nearly two weeks on, it is painfully clear that those suffering the most after Russia's invasion of #Ukraine are civilians - killed, wounded, displaced. This war is senseless. We are ready to support all good-faith efforts at negotiation to end the bloodshed.” (https://twitter.com/DicarloRosemary/status/1500982285142827008?s=20&t=pPJBbU-_GJ4-8fndLl05uQ)
Similarly, the Secretary-General has used a wide range of words in his statements and remarks to the press to describe what is going on.
