UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an end to Ukraine's "cycle of murder and destruction."  When Guterres  reportedly told the UN Security Council on his shuttle diplomacy last week in Russia and Ukraine, he "did not mince words" when speaking with the presidents of Russia and Ukraine about ending the crisis.

At a Security Council discussion on the situation in Ukraine, the secretary-general said the conflict must "end for the sake of the people of Ukraine, Russia, and the entire world...the cycle of death, devastation, dislocation, and disruption must end." "I stressed the importance of enabling humanitarian access and evacuations from besieged areas, including first and foremost, Mariupol," Guterres said, pleading for a safe and effective humanitarian corridor for civilians to reach safety from the Azovstal plant, where hundreds have been living underground for weeks. "We must keep doing everything we can to bring people out of these hellscapes," the UN chief added.

Guterres highlighted the complex humanitarian operation being directed by the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, reporting on "some measure of success."

"It started on April 29 and has necessitated a great deal of cooperation and advocacy with the Russian Federation and Ukrainian authorities," he said. "To date, two safe passage convoys have been accomplished successfully." The first part, which took place over the weekend, saw 101 civilians successfully evacuated to safety north of Mariupol, while the second phase, which took place on Wednesday night, saw "more than 320" people from the region find refuge.

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