UN names Amin Awad of Sudan as Ukraine crisis coordinator

ANKARA (AA) – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Amin Awad of Sudan as UN crisis coordinator for Ukraine.

Awad “will lead the coordination of all our efforts, including our humanitarian response, on both sides of the contact line,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told a news briefing.

Awad has served in a range of senior roles with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), with over 30 years of experience in the field of humanitarian affairs, strategic action, planning, and development.

He also served in leadership roles in complex field operations, including as UNHCR Representative in Sri Lanka, Regional Coordinator for the Iraq Operations and Humanitarian Coordinator and Representative in North Macedonia.

Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine entered its third day Saturday with the latest reports indicating that Russian troops clashing with Ukrainian forces in the capital Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the military intervention Thursday, days after recognizing two separatist-held enclaves in eastern Ukraine. He claimed that Moscow had no plan to occupy the neighboring country but wanted to “demilitarize” and “denazify” Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of trying to install a puppet government and said Ukrainians will defend their country against Russian aggression.