Ukraine: Killing of civilians condemned by Boris Johnson
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Boris Johnson has condemned Russia for “despicable” attacks on Ukrainian civilians in recent weeks in the area north of Kyiv, alongside Irpin and other areas. Footage emerged showing mass graves and dead civilian bodies left in the street.
Human Rights Watch among others accused Russia once again of committing war crimes in Ukraine.
However, Russia has so far denied apparent war crimes, contesting the photographic evidence that was taken by journalists on the scene.
Russia’s representative to the UN Security Council claimed that the bodies photographed in the street were not there before Russian forces had withdrawn from the region.
Vasily Nebenzya claimed there were “flagrant inconsistencies in events shown by Ukrainian and Western media”.
Yet, verified satellite images show bodies left on the same street in Bucha over a week before Russian forces left.
Earlier today (Tuesday), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the UN Security Council that there were “many more cities like Bucha”.
He added that “the world has yet to see what [the Russian military] has done in other occupied cities and regions of our country”.
Yesterday (Monday), the Prime Minister said that the uncovering of further mass graves outside the capital was a “sickening” revelation, adding that the UK “will not stand by whilst this indiscriminate and unforgivable slaughter takes place”.
This evening, Mr Johnson released a video in which he directly addressed the issue to the Russian people, including a call to ignore the Russian propaganda.
He said: “The atrocities committed by Russian troops in Bucha, Irpin and elsewhere in Ukraine have horrified the world.
“Civilians massacred – shot dead with their hands tied. Women raped in front of their young children. Bodies crudely burned, dumped in mass graves, or just left lying on the street.
“The reports are so shocking – so sickening – it’s no wonder your Government is seeking to hide them from you.
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“Your President knows that if you could see what was happening, you would not support his war.”
Earlier today, Francis Scarr, a member of the BBC Monitoring team looking at Russian state TV, revealed some of the claims made by Russia’s propaganda machine about the Bucha massacre.
Speaking on Russia 1, presenter and political commentator Olga Skabayeva parroted the claim that “there’s no evidence of victims” in the areas recently left by Russian forces.
However, she added that “the West doesn’t need the truth”.
Ms Skabayeva – who has criticised Russian opposition on Putin’s behalf – also reportedly said that UK has “spat on the Ukrainian people”.
This was because it had twice rejected Russia’s call for a UN Security Council meeting, and therefore “seemingly thinks there’s nothing urgent about [the] events in Bucha”.
On Monday, Russia’s foreign ministry issued a call for the UN Security Council to meet on what it described as “criminal provocations by Ukrainian soldiers and radicals”.
British diplomats blocked the request, stating that a planned discussion on the situation in Ukraine would go ahead today.
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