April 04, 2022, 10:49 AM
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Gut-wrenching reports emerged on Apr. 3 morning (Singapore time) as Ukrainian forces moved into Bucha, a suburb of the capital city Kiev, for the first time since its occupation by Russian forces.
Journalists on the ground saw numerous corpses littered on the city streets, according to The Washington Post.
The Post also verified a video that showed what appeared to be at least nine dead, including a child.
According to CBS, Associated Press journalists saw at least two bodies with their hands tied behind their backs, and two more bodies wrapped in plastic, bound in tape and thrown into a ditch.
The mayor of Bucha, Anatoly Fedoruk, said that around 270 residents had been discovered buried in two mass graves, with 40 residents lying dead in the streets.
Ukraine President Zelensky: This is "genocide"
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba shared graphic images on his Twitter supposedly from Bucha, calling it a "massacre".
He also called for renewed sanctions on Russia, such as an oil and gas embargo.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview on CBS's "Meet the Nation" show that this was "genocide", after the host asked him about it.
He added that Ukrainians were being "destroyed and exterminated" because they did not wish to be subdued to the policies of Russia.
“Is this genocide?” @margbrennan asks Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) April 3, 2022
“Indeed. This is genocide,” Zelenskyy says, adding that Ukraine is being “destroyed and exterminated” by Russian forces.
Tune in at 10:30a E.T. to hear more. pic.twitter.com/VyI246euAH
According to The New York Times, the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement on Telegram that the reports of civilian killings in Bucha are fake.
It also acknowledged that Russian forces are withdrawing from the area.
Ukrainian military retaking territory
Ukrainian authorities are documenting evidence as the military continues to retake territory following the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Kyiv region.
While Russian officials call it a "reduction" in military activity and claimed this was done to build trust in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations, military experts have contended that fierce resistance by the Ukrainian military has caused Russia to rethink its advance towards Kyiv.
However, Russia's stated focus on the eastern, breakaway provinces of Donbas and Luhansk likely signals that the fighting will continue.
Previously, Ukraine's military intelligence chief, General Kyrylo Budanov said he believes Russia's new plan is to implement a "Korean scenario" for Ukraine.
Instead of a full occupation, Russian President Vladimir Putin aims to split Ukraine into two said Budanov, according to The Guardian.
Vows of increased support for Ukraine
Government officials reacted strongly to the reports emanating from Bucha, vowing fresh sanctions and more military aid for the Ukrainians.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the images were a "punch in the gut", and that Ukrainian forces will soon have 10 anti-tank systems for every Russian tank, according to Reuters.
The Washington Post quoted UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss as saying there was increasing evidence of "appalling attacks" as Russian forces retreated from previously occupied towns.
Britain called for an investigation and said it would support any launched by the International Criminal Court.
Charles Michel, President of the European Council, expressed his shock in a tweet and said further sanctions from the European Union on Russia, as well as support for Ukraine was forthcoming.
Shocked by haunting images of atrocities committed by Russian army in Kyiv liberated region #BuchaMassacre
— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) April 3, 2022
EU is assisting #Ukraine & NGO’s in gathering of necessary evidence for pursuit in international courts.
Further EU sanctions & support are on their way.
Слава Україні!
On the same day, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte announced that Lithuania will ban the import of natural gas from Russia, although she did not mention Bucha or civilian massacres in Kyiv.
Previously on Mar. 16, Lithuania said it was considering banning all oil and gas imports from Russia in response to its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, according to the BBC.
From now and so on Lithuania won't be consuming a cubic cm of toxic russian gas.
— Ingrida Šimonytė (@IngridaSimonyte) April 3, 2022
LT is the first EU country to refuse Russian gas import.
Top image by Vasyl Molchan/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images.
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