Armed Men Corner UN Envoy in Crimea
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UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe (NEW YORK) — A television crew documented a tense confrontation between a U.N. envoy in Crimea and a group of armed and menacing men who chanted pro-Russia slogans.
The men first blocked the car carrying United Nations envoy Robert Serry in Ukraine, and initial reports stated Serry had been “abducted” or “kidnapped” by armed men during a Wednesday visit to the embattled Crimea region.
U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson confirmed in a call to reporters in New York that Serry was “threatened” in Crimea, but Eliasson denied reports he was kidnapped.
Serry agreed to cut his trip short, go to the airport and leave Crimea.
Serry was in Crimea as part of a U.N. envoy sent to assess the crisis in Ukraine. A U.N. spokesperson said in a statement that Serry will be taking a late flight out of Simferopol and will shortly return to Kiev to continue his mission after it was cut short.
No one was injured in the incident.
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