The Rhineland is stepping up its military support for Ukraine after horrific killings of civilians by Vladimir Putin’s troops were described as “genocide” by President Volodymyr Zelensky. Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the “heinous attacks on innocent civilians” in the cities of Irpin and Buha, where horrific images appeared Sunday with mass graves and corpses stuffed with bags. An adviser to Zelensky earlier said dead civilians had been found on the streets of Bucha, in what looked like a “horror movie”. Journalists from the Associated Press said they watched as Ukrainian soldiers used cables to pull corpses from a road – from a distance for fear of being trapped. Reacting to reports that Russian troops had killed civilians, Johnson said: “No denial or misinformation from the Kremlin can hide what we all know to be true – Putin is desperate, his invasion fails and Ukraine’s determination it has never been stronger.
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“I will do everything in my power to starve Putin’s war machine. “We are strengthening our sanctions and military support, and we are strengthening our humanitarian assistance package to help those in need on the ground.” He said Justice Minister Dominic Raab had authorized additional financial support and the development of special investigators in Ukraine. “We will not calm down until justice is done,” he added. A man smokes a cigarette among damaged Russian tanks in Bucha / ΑΠ In an interview with CBS News on Sunday, Mr Zelensky warned that Ukrainian civilians were being “killed” by the Russian military as they retreated from positions around the capital, Kyiv. He said his country was facing “extinction”, adding: “We are the citizens of Ukraine and we do not want to suffer Russian aggression. This is why we exterminate and destroy. “This is what is happening in 21st century Europe.” Echoing Johnson’s comments, German Chancellor Olaf Solz said his country would step up sanctions in response to the “atrocities” committed by Russian troops retreating from Kyiv. Mr Soltz said Putin and his supporters “would feel the effects” of their actions. “And we will continue to have weapons in Ukraine so that the country can defend itself against the Russian invasion,” he added. Earlier, British Foreign Secretary Liz Tras said that “indiscriminate” attacks by Russian forces on innocent civilians should be investigated as war crimes. He said the United Kingdom would not “calm down” until those responsible were brought to justice, adding that Russia would not be allowed to cover its involvement through “cynical misinformation”. A Ukrainian soldier celebrates at a checkpoint in Bukha / ΑΠ Mr Zelensky’s spokesman, Sergei Nikiforov, said Ukrainian troops had uncovered “mass graves” as they moved through areas evacuated by Russian troops. The Kremlin last week said it would significantly reduce its activities in the capital and neighboring Chernihiv and refocus its efforts on the Donbas region. “We found people with their arms and legs tied … and with gunshots, bullet holes in the back of their heads,” Nikiforov said. “They were clearly civilians and were executed. “We found half-burnt corpses as if someone were trying to hide their crimes, but they did not have enough time to do it properly.”
