UN Issues A Tame Statement In Response To Kiev's Deceitful Use of Its Logo In A Military Assault Against East Ukraine

An excerpt from, "Ukraine Crisis: UN-Marked Combat Helicopters Used in Government Offensive against Separatists" by Jack Moore, International Business Times, May 14:

Footage has emerged of a white UN-marked Mil Mi-24 helicopter allegedly being used in Ukraine's anti-terror operation against pro-Russian separatists near the Donestsk Oblast city of Kramatorsk.

Three further combat Mi-24 helicopters and one transport Mi-8 helicopter bearing the UN logo were spotted in the region by the Russian news outlet Life News.

The UN has distanced itself from the footage below, stating that, as Ukraine is a contributor to the organisation's forces, it must remove any UN insignia when the materials are returned.

A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that any use of peacekeeping equipment, bearing the name of the UN, for non-peacekeeping purposes would contravene UN rules.

"It is the responsibility of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) that provide Contingent Owned Equipment to peacekeeping missions to remove all logos and signage bearing the UN's name once such equipment has been repatriated to the home country or is no longer being used for official UN purposes," Ban's office said in reaction to the footage.

The office made it clear that UN-marked equipment could only be used in UN-tasked operations. Kiev's offensive against pro-Russian separatists was not sanctioned by the organisation.