Ukraine’s ambassador told Russian diplomats to seek mental help through the UK’s hotline when they repeated Putin’s talking points

• Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN delivered another set of scathing remarks to Russia’s representatives.
• He suggested Russia’s diplomats in the US and UK seek mental help, and highlighted the UK’s mental health hotline.
• He said it was “very difficult” listening to “persistent lie,” “delusion,” and “delirium” from Russia.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations delivered a cynical quip to Russian diplomats at a Security Council meeting on Monday night, suggesting they seek mental help for continuing to push the Kremlin’s talking points on the invasion of Ukraine.

At the meeting, Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya held a printout of a tweet by the Russian embassy in the UK, which published a claim by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that “the goal of Russia’s special military operation is to stop any war that could take place on Ukrainian territory or that could start from there.”

“Russian embassy in London, retweeted by the Russian Foreign Ministry,” Kyslytsya said.

“Let me remind the Russian diplomats that in London, in case of need for mental help, you can dial NHS line 111. Thank you,” the ambassador said, referring to the UK’s National Health Service.

Kyslytsya has regularly made scathing remarks toward Russia’s representatives since President Vladimir Putin announced a military assault on Ukraine on February 24. Kyslytsya previously told Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, that war criminals “go straight to hell” and that his words were “less value than a hole in the New York pretzel.”

On Monday, Kyslytsya seemingly made another jab at Nebenzya, this time calling his sanity into question.

“One of my colleagues, after the last security council session, said, you know, the colleague said it looks like group therapy,” Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said.

“We’re all here trying to bring to sanity one member. And indeed, when I listen to this member, to this representative from that country, I think it is absolutely right that the Department of Health of the city of New York is called Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,” he said.

Kyslytsya said it was “very difficult” listening to the “persistent lies” and “delusion, delirium, coming from that particular country.” He added that Russia’s diplomats in both New York — where the Security Council convened — and London “need medical assistance.”

Nebenzya, who spoke immediately after Kyslytsya, said he would not “polemicize” — or debate — with Ukraine’s ambassador on his points. Instead, Nebenzya in his closing remarks sought to blame the Ukrainians for disruptions in a ceasefire agreement between their nations, which would have allowed for a humanitarian aid corridor in Ukraine.

Intense fighting continues to plague Ukraine, 12 days after Russian troops and tanks poured through its borders on three fronts in an unprovoked invasion.