In the wake of Russia-Ukraine war, many have realized the civilian fatalities of the invasion. In a town just outside of Kyiv, a mass grave was discovered. Kyiv Regional Police and local residents say they believe at least 150 people were buried in the mass grave. However, the mayor of Bucha says the death toll could be as high as 300.
Residents say the grave, on the grounds behind the Church of St. Andrew and Pyervozvannoho All Saints, started being dug early in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
As Russian forces retreat from the area around Kyiv, the horrors of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine are increasingly coming to light. The death and destruction brought by Russia’s war machine are on full display in Bucha. Bodies could be seen on the streets of the suburb as early as Sunday. Some had their hands tied behind their backs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has blamed Russia for the killings inside the district, accusing Moscow of trying to put an end to his “whole nation.”
“This is about the destruction and extermination of all these nationalities,” he said in an interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
For its part, Russia has denied any involvement, maintaining it doesn’t target civilians and saying the images of bodies on the streets of Bucha are fake.
Inside the district, the roads are littered with destroyed Russian armored vehicles — including tanks — ambushed by Ukrainian drones or units with NATO-supplied hand-held rocket launchers such as Javelins and Next-Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapons Systems, or NLAWs.
In some cases, entire columns of Russian armored vehicles were trapped on narrow residential roads before being destroyed.
The vehicles are now rusting away where they stopped, evidence of the heavy losses Moscow suffered before being driven out of the area around Kyiv.