Zelenskyy visits massacred Bucha: ‘Victims treated worse than animals’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the massacred city of Bucha, near Kyiv, after civilian bodies were found dead across the area. 

Zelenskyy told reporters that bodies have been found in cellars as well as the streets, with images of dead bodies circulating on social media. 

“This is real genocide, what you have seen here today,” he said during his visit. 

Zelenskyy accused Russia of delaying peace negotiations in Turkey, adding that the situation on the ground will only become worse as the war continues. 

“With every day, when our army moves into previously occupied territory, you can see what’s happening,” he said.

Images of slaughtered civilians were first shared on Twitter by Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba. In his tweet he called on the G7 countries to introduce further sanctions against Russia, including the closure of their ports to Russian vessels and goods. 

The Ukrainian attorney general said that 410 civilian bodies have been found in the region. Emergency workers are still gathering bodies from streets and backyards.

The Russian defence ministry suggested the images were a provocation. It said that no local residents fell victim to violent actions while its forces occupied the town, adding that Russian troops left Bucha on 30 March.

Indeed, Ukrainian troops were only able to access the town over the past day or two. The town mayor had identified a mass grave in the town with 280 bodies buried. 

Many journalists reported seeing dead bodies strewn along the streets of Bucha.