--- description: United Nations representative Robert Serry forced to cut trip short title: Ukraine: Militants Trap UN Representative Robert Serry in Coffee Shop image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # UN Special Envoy 'Seriously Threatened' in Crimea by [Maya Rhodan](/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 5, 2014 7:27 PM CUT by [Maya Rhodan](/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 5, 2014 7:27 PM CUT A United Nations special envoy cut his trip to Ukraine short Wednesday after being trapped in a cafe by militants, British television station [ITV reports](http://www.itv.com/news/story/2014-03-05/un-special-envoy-robert-serry-crimea/ "undefined"). United Nations representative Robert Serry was briefly held in a coffee shop while protesters chanted “Putin” outside. An ITV [reporter](http://www.itv.com/news/story/2014-03-05/un-special-envoy-robert-serry-crimea/ "undefined"), James Mates, was with the Dutch diplomat in the coffee shop and live-tweeted the incident: > [](https://twitter.com/jamesmatesitv/status/441256317769252865) > [](https://twitter.com/jamesmatesitv/status/441255861600919552) > [](https://twitter.com/jamesmatesitv/status/441261612843151360) > [](https://twitter.com/jamesmatesitv/status/441263861824770048) United Nations Deputy Secretary Jan Eliasson condemned the actions, noting that although Serry was not kidnapped—as early reports suggested—he was “seriously threatened.” Serry was able to leave the area and reach the airport safely. He is [returning to Kiev on Wednesday](http://www.itv.com/news/update/2014-03-05/un-envoy-will-shortly-return-to-kiev-after-confrontation/ "undefined"). \[[ITV](http://www.itv.com/news/story/2014-03-05/un-special-envoy-robert-serry-crimea/ "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/13025/un-special-envoy-seriously-threatened-in-crimea/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/13025/un-special-envoy-seriously-threatened-in-crimea/"},"headline":"UN Special Envoy 'Seriously Threatened' in Crimea","datePublished":"2014-03-05T19:27:45.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T06:35:56.271Z","description":"United Nations representative Robert Serry forced to cut trip short","url":"https://time.com/13025/un-special-envoy-seriously-threatened-in-crimea/","keywords":["Ukraine","U.N.","Crimea"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Maya Rhodan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/13025/un-special-envoy-seriously-threatened-in-crimea/","name":"UN Special Envoy 'Seriously Threatened' in Crimea"}}]}] ```