Brussels Russia stood accused yesterday of terrible” war crimes, with western leaders condemning the killing of scores of unarmed civilians near Kyiv in alleged atrocities that fuelled demands for tougher action against Moscow.
Ukraine's president said the Kremlin-ordered attack on his country amounted to genocide after local officials reported mass graves in the town of Bucha and killings of civilians in nearby Irpin and Hostomel. Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine's refusal to yield meant “we are being destroyed and exterminated”. His foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said Bucha was a deliberate massacre and Russia was worse than Isis.
Witnesses of alleged atrocities in Bucha, 35 miles northwest of Kyiv, told the Guardian that Russian forces had killed civilians at will.
Taras Schevchenko, 43, said Russian soldiers, who have now withdrawn from the area, had refused to let men leave through a humanitarian corridor, instead shooting at him and others as they fled across an open field. Bodies, he said, were scattered on the pavements, with some of those killed having been “squashed by tanks ... like animal skin rugs”.
Shevchenko's mother, Yevdokia, 77, said she had witnessed an elderly man who challenged a Russian soldier being shot dead as his wife was standing next to him. They shot him dead, and ordered the woman to leave,” she said. The accounts could not be independently verified.
Ukraine's military released footage yesterday of what appeared to be a torture chamber in a basement, with a barracks in an adjoining room. A line of bodies were found, hands tied and crouched facing a wall. The military said at least one victim's kneecaps had been shot before he received a bullet to the head. Bucha's mayor, Anatoly Fedoruk said 280 bodies had also been found in mass graves.
Denne historien er fra April 04, 2022-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 04, 2022-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Filter Cast-iron alternatives to Le Creuset for less
Le Creuset's colourful pans have long topped the wishlists of amateur and professional cooks.
Money hacks How to find a pet-sitter you can trust
Unless you have family, a friend or a neighbour who can care for your pet when you're away, you'll need to find a pet-sitter you can trust.
Pensions An A to Z of how to save for your retirement
Everything you need to know to plan for your future and make the most of your finances. Rupert Jones and Hilary Osborne report
'A fork in the road' AI's bid to help on laundry days at Europe's tech summit
This year's Web Summit in Lisbon was all about artificial intelligence and a robot sorting laundry.
Brexit So how could Labour improve EU ties for the sake of growth?
The Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, said this week that Brexit had undermined the UK's economy, and urged the government to improve relations with the EU for the sake of growth.
Aviation Flying taxis: destined never to take off?
In a dreary November day in the Cotswolds, the VX4 - a cross between a plane and a helicopter - rose from an airport runway, hovered a few feet off the ground and set back down.
Property firm back in profit as workers return to offices
One of Britain's biggest property developers has provided further evidence of the return to office working, saying occupancy in its central London offices is at an all-time high and the value of its portfolio has returned to growth.
Analysis Summer of dark warnings from the Treasury may have cast a shadow on growth
It was hardly surprising that the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, declared herself \"not satisfied\" with the news that the UK's GDP expanded by a measly 0.1% in the three months to September.
Contracting GDP adds to German woes as general election looms
Germany's looming general election will be fought against the backdrop of a stagnating economy, the European Commission has forecast, with GDP expected to have contracted in 2024.
UK economy slows amid jitters over Labour budget
The UK economy slowed to a near-standstill in the third quarter as uncertainty around Labour's first budget and high interest rates weighed on business and consumer spending.
