The European Union has condemned Russia for war crimes against civilians near Kiev. The Twitter entries were published by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the Council of Europe Charles Michel and the head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell. In places where the Russians withdrew, Ukrainian soldiers found hundreds of bodies, many with signs of torture and rape. Civilians were killed by a shot in the back of the head.
The President of the European Commission wrote that she was horrified by reports of unimaginable atrocities in areas from which Russian troops were withdrawing.
“An urgent independent investigation is needed. The perpetrators of war crimes will be held accountable,” said Ursula von der Leyen.
Josep Borrell, head of EU diplomacy, also wrote about the shocking crimes committed by Russian soldiers. He assured that the Community would support Ukraine in documenting the war crimes committed by the Russians.
“I am shocked by the poignant footage of the atrocities committed by the Russian army in the liberated Kiev region,” European Council President Charles Michel tweeted, adding the hashtag “Bucha massacre.”
– The EU helps Ukraine and non-governmental organizations to collect the necessary evidence for proceedings in international courts, – added the President of the European Council.
Michel added that further sanctions and EU support for Ukraine are “on the way.”
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As Russian troops began to withdraw from the northern part of the Kiev region to Belarus, and Ukrainian troops entered the places they had previously occupied, there are more and more photos and videos showing the victims of Russian war crimes.
“The world needs to see evidence of these crimes”
The world must see evidence of Russian crimes in Bucha, Irpen and Gostoml, Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to the President of Ukraine, said on Sunday. According to him, the crimes committed in these places “should shake the world.”
“In these cities, you can see pictures of post-apocalyptic horror. Among the already found victims of war crimes there are raped women who tried to burn them, killed representatives of local authorities, children, elderly people, men, many people have their hands tied, traces of torture. They were shot in the head,” Arestovich said.
Arestovich announced that Russian crimes would be investigated in Ukraine and in international tribunals, and those responsible would be punished.