The Russian military has committed extrajudicial killings of civilians in Ukraine, Amnesty International has said, citing its own testimony. The defense team released new testimony on Thursday from citizens living near the Kiev capital in towns and villages occupied by Russian forces after the February 24 invasion.
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Civilians interviewed by Amnesty International’s crisis investigators described deliberate killings, illegal violence and widespread intimidation by Russian troops on the outskirts of Kiev. The story goes on under the ad A 46-year-old woman from the village of Bohdanivka, just east of Kiev, said Russian troops entered her home on March 9 and forced her family into their boiler room, Amnesty International claims. “They forced us and knocked on the door. As soon as they opened the door for a minute, they asked my husband if he had any cigarettes. He said no, he had not smoked for a few weeks. He was shot in the right hand. “The other said ‘Finish him’ and they shot him in the head,” the woman said. Her identity has not been released. “She did not die immediately. From 9.30 pm to 4 am he was still breathing, although he was unconscious. I begged him… “If you hear me, please wave your finger”. He did not move his finger, but I put his hand on my knee and squeezed it. Blood was running inside him. When he breathed his last, I turned to my daughter and said, “It looks like Dad’s dead.” A family walks among wrecked Russian tanks in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kiev, Ukraine, on April 6. Felipe Dana / AP On March 3 in Vorzel, a village just west of Bucha where hundreds of people were killed over the weekend, 18-year-old Kateryna Tkachova told Amnesty that she was at home with her parents when they left to take to the streets. They were Russian tanks. The story goes on under the ad Tkachova heard gunshots shortly after they left, she said. “As soon as the tanks passed, I jumped over the fence at the neighbor’s house. “I wanted to see if they were alive,” he told Amnesty International. “I looked over the fence and saw my mother lying on her back on one side of the road and my father face down on the other side of the road. I saw big holes in his coat. The next day I went to them. “My father had six big holes in his back, my mother had a smaller hole in her chest.” 2:09 Ukraine warns of more possible massacres by the Russian army Ukraine warns of more possible massacres by the Russian army Amnesty International’s account is the latest in a series of reports accusing Russia of committing war crimes in its six-week campaign in Ukraine. Trending Stories
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Over the weekend, Ukrainian forces and officials discovered what appeared to be the bodies of murdered civilians on the streets of Bucha, a city about 30 kilometers west of Kiev. The story goes on under the ad Officials say more than 300 people have been killed by Russian forces in Bucha alone, and about 50 of them have been executed. The German government has satellite images showing Russia being involved in the killing of civilians in Bucha, a security source said on Thursday.
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In nearby Irpin, Russian troops “left behind many corpses, many damaged buildings and landmines,” Mayor Oleksandr Merkushev told the Associated Press. Russia has denied all allegations of war crimes. World leaders have expressed outrage at the revelations, and reports have prompted the West to impose new sanctions on Russia on Wednesday. The United States has targeted the adult daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin with new sanctions and barred Americans from investing in Russia. Canada on Tuesday imposed sanctions on nine Russians and nine Belarusians for “facilitating and allowing violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.” A Ukrainian soldier walks among wrecked Russian tanks in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kiev, Ukraine on April 6. Felipe Dana / AP Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has said that Canada will not allow the alleged atrocities to go unpunished. The story goes on under the ad “This is exactly why Canada is reporting to the International Criminal Court and we are also providing expertise to ensure that the investigation is ongoing and ongoing,” he said on Wednesday. “Why? Why do we have to gather the evidence and those who committed these war crimes and crimes against humanity must be held accountable?” 1:12 USA expects Russia to “commit atrocities”: Psaki for the massacre of Bukha and Ukraine The US expects Russia to “commit atrocities”: Psaki at the massacre of Bukha in Ukraine Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnès Callamard said a thorough investigation was needed. “Evidence shows that unarmed civilians in Ukraine are being killed in their homes and on the streets in acts of untold cruelty and shocking barbarism,” he said in a report on Thursday. “The premeditated killing of civilians is a violation of human rights and a war crime. “These deaths must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible must be prosecuted, including the chain of command.” The story goes on under the ad Russia sent tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in February in what it called a special operation to reduce its southern neighbor’s military capabilities and rid people of what it called dangerous nationalists. A Ukrainian soldier examines a damaged Russian military vehicle in Bukha, Ukraine, on April 5. Efrem Lukatsky / AP Ukrainian forces have put up fierce resistance and the West has imposed severe sanctions on Russia in a bid to force it to withdraw its forces. Thousands have been killed since the start of the full-scale war, which shows no sign of an immediate end after Russia said Ukraine had entered into a peace deal with “unacceptable” elements. Ukraine’s top negotiator denied the allegations on Thursday, telling Reuters it was “pure propaganda”. However, the two sides continue to work out an agreement to end the war. – with files from Reuters and the Associated Press. © 2022 Global News, part of Corus Entertainment Inc.
