A grave with dozens of civilians has been found in Buzova village near Kyiv, a Ukrainian official said, the latest reported mass grave to be discovered after Russian forces withdrew from areas north of the capital to focus their assault on the east.
Taras Didych, head of the Dmytrivka community that includes Bulova, said the bodies were found in a ditch near a petrol station. He said the number of dead had yet to be confirmed.
“Now we are returning to life but during the occupation we had our ‘hotspots’, many civilians died,” Didych told Ukrainian television late on Saturday.
Reuters was not immediately able to confirm the report. Mounting civilian casualties have triggered widespread international condemnation and new sanctions, in particular over hundreds of deaths in the town of Bucha, to the northwest of Kyiv that until just over a week ago was occupied by Russian forces.
Russia has rejected allegations by Ukraine and Western countries of war crimes. It has denied targetting civilians in what it calls a “special operation” to demilitarise and”denazify” its southern neighbour. Ukraine and Western nations have dismissed this as a baseless pretext for war.
Russia has failed to take one major city since invading on February 24 but Ukraine says Russia is gathering its forces in the east for a major assault and has urged people to flee.
Russia is seeking to establish a land corridor from Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, and the eastern Donbas region, which is partly held by Moscow-backed separatists, Britain’s defense ministry said.
In an address late on Saturday, he renewed his appeal to Western allies for a complete embargo on Russian energy products and more weapons for Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson met Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Saturday and pledged armoured vehicles and anti-ship missile systems, along with additional support for World Bank loans.
Britain will also ratchet up its sanctions on Russia and move away from using Russian hydrocarbons, Johnson said.
The European Union on Friday adopted new sanctions against Russia, including bans on the import of coal, wood, chemicals and other products. Oil and gas imports from Russia remain untouched.
Johnson, speaking to reporters with Zelenskyy, said support for Ukraine was intended to ensure it “can never be bullied again, never will be blackmailed again, never will be threatened in the same way again”.
Johnson was the latest foreign leader to visit Kyiv after Russian forces pulled back from the area, marking a return to some degree of normality for the capital. Italy said it planned to re-open its embassy this month.
Source: Reuters
In other news – Norma Mngoma celebrates her birthday
Norma Mngoma has taken to her social media to celebrate herself as she turns 47 today. Taking to Instagram, the star shared some photos compilation of herself.
Norma revealed that she is grateful to God for adding another year to her life and for holding her hand throughout all out. Learn more
