After the discovery of mass graves in the recently recaptured city of Izym, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says there is “clear evidence” of war crimes committed by Russian soldiers, urging him to “react” to Moscow atrocities. inspired the world.
About 450 civilian bodies were found in Izyum, northeast of Kharkiv, believed to be the victims of Russian forces, according to local authorities. According to Ukrainian law enforcement and local authorities, the bodies of nearly 20 Ukrainian soldiers were apparently dumped in one of his graves, alongside civilian graves.
“The world has to react to all of this,” Zelensky said in an address to the nation Friday night.
“There is already clear evidence of torture and humiliating treatment of people, and there is evidence that Russian soldiers not far from there shot at the burial sites for fun,” Zelensky said. said.
He said it was too early to establish the exact number of people buried at the site.
Izyum was recaptured by Ukrainian forces a week ago in Kyiv’s surprise counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region after six months of Russian occupation.
Zelenskyy compared the deaths in Izyum to findings in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, where more than 400 civilian bodies were found after weeks of Russian occupation. Ukrainian authorities found mass graves as well as the corpses of civilians apparently bound and shot at close range. Ukraine has officially filed a war crimes case against Moscow forces over the killings in Bucha.
Ukrainian authorities have uncovered several “torture chambers” where imprisoned locals and foreigners were held in liberated territory in the Kharkov region, Zelensky said Friday night. Among the foreigners, he said, seven of his Sri Lankans who were students at a local medical college were found.
“In March they were captured by Russian soldiers, after which they were locked in a cellar. It has been.”
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken Said Death in IsmIt is necessary to activate support for Ukraine against Russia. Brinken tweeted, “The report of the mass grave of 440 men, women and children in Izym, Ukraine is heartbreaking. We support Ukraine in seeking accountability for these crimes.” increase.”
The EU’s head of foreign policy, Josep Borrell, said the European Union was “deeply shocked” by the Izyum discovery. “I condemn these atrocities in the strongest possible terms,” he said in a statement. “Russia, its political leaders and all those implicated in Ukraine’s ongoing violations of international law and international humanitarian law will be held accountable.”
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday night that despite recent setbacks, Russia will continue to push for war against Ukraine.
In Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Putin said in his first official comments on the Kyiv counterattack that “plans will not be coordinated.”
“The main objective is to liberate the entire territory of Donbass. This work continues despite the fact that the Ukrainian army is about to launch a counteroffensive,” Putin said. “Let’s see [the counteroffensive] unfold and how it ends.
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