Ukraine has accused Russia of committing war crimes in the cities from which it has withdrawn
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his people were being subjected to “genocide” because he refused to submit to Russia.
In an interview with CBS, he described the Russian invasion of his country as “the abuse of an entire nation.”
He was asked whether the Russian military operation amounted to genocide, and he replied: “It really is genocide. It is the eradication of the entire nation, the whole people.”
“We are Ukrainian citizens, we have more than 100 nationalities, it is an attempt to destroy and annihilate all these nationalities. We do not accept submission to the policies of Russia.”
“This is why we are being destroyed and exterminated. This is happening in Europe in the 21st century.”
At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry denied the killing of civilians in the town of Bucha, near the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
And condemnations were issued from European leaders after the discovery of bodies after the departure of Russian forces from the town.
But the Russian Defense Ministry said the scenes were “the latest Ukrainian provocations”.
She added that no civilians were subjected to violence when its forces took control of the town, noting that its forces withdrew on March 30. She said the pictures shown of the dead were “the latest fabrications of the regime in Kyiv”.
The BBC was among the media organizations that showed horrific scenes from the town of Bucha, including 20 bodies in civilian clothes lying on the side of a road, with their hands tied behind their backs.
Mass condemnations for the photos of the dead in Bucha
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg described the killings as “a brutality against civilians not seen in Europe for decades.”
“It is horrible and unacceptable to target and kill civilians,” he told CNN.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said “indiscriminate attacks” against Ukrainian civilians in towns such as Bucha and Erbin should be investigated as war crimes.
“We will not allow Russia to cover up its involvement in these atrocities through blatant disinformation, and we will ensure that the truth of Russia’s actions is revealed,” she added.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken described the images from Bucha as “a punch in the stomach.”
“This is the reality of what happens every day, as long as Russia’s brutality against Ukraine continues,” he told CNN.
As for French President Emmanuel Macron, who has repeatedly communicated with Russian President Vladimir Putin since the conflict began, he said the pictures were “unbearable”.
“The Russian authorities must answer with regard to these crimes,” he declared.
German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck described the killings as “horrific war crimes that cannot go unanswered.”
He said he believed there was a need for tougher sentences.
“I am appalled by reports of unspeakable atrocities in the regions from which Russia is withdrawing,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted. She called for an urgent and independent investigation and said “the perpetrators of war crimes will be held accountable.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia aimed to “exterminate as many Ukrainians as it could”.
He called on the G7 countries to impose more sanctions on Russian oil, gas and coal plants, the export of goods and the financial sector.