The United Nations, following the example of the Russian authorities, banned its employees from calling the aggression against Ukraine "war" or "invasion. This was reported by The Irish Times.
UN staff received emails with communication rules and the obligation to remain "impartial. The organization's communications department has instructed employees not to describe the situation as war and not to add the flag of Ukraine to personal or official online profiles.
"Some specific examples of speech that may or may not be used at this point. Use 'conflict' or 'military offensive' rather than 'war' or 'invasion' when referring to the situation in Ukraine," the letter recommended.
The communications department attributed this approach to a desire to avoid reputational risks. The Russian authorities also prohibited the use of the word "war" in relation to the aggression against Ukraine. They call the invasion a "special military operation.
