Olga Sukhenko, the mayor of the Ukrainian city of Motizin, near Kyiv, was reportedly shot dead along with her husband and son for refusing to comply with Russian demands, the AP reported. The resident who spoke to the news agency was only identified as a man named Oleg for security reasons. Oleg told the AP that Russian troops targeted local officials throughout Motyzhyn and killed those who did not cooperate. After the mayor and her family were shot, the man said they were thrown into a pit behind a plot of land containing three houses occupied by Russian forces. Prior to Oleg’s account, Sukhenko and her family had reportedly been abducted by Russian forces on March 23, the AP reported. Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk confirmed the assassination of the mayor in the news agency on Sunday and said that at the moment there are 11 other mayors or community leaders being held in Russian captivity throughout Ukraine. The reported killing comes as Russian forces have been accused of committing brutal war crimes against Ukrainian civilians this weekend. Ukrainian officials say the bodies of at least 410 civilians were found scattered in the Kiev region after Russian troops withdrew from the area, according to the AP. A Ukrainian mayor is said to have been assassinated in the “execution style” during the Russian occupation of Kiev and neighboring cities. Above, debris is seen in Kyiv on April 3 as Ukrainian troops regain control of the city. Alexey Furman / Getty Images Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has accused Russian troops of massacring civilians in Bhutan, a city northwest of Kiev. Graphic images show corpses with their hands tied behind their backs, while dozens of corpses were found in yards, cars and along roads. A report by Human Rights Watch, a global defense organization, also accused Russian troops of raping and torturing Ukrainian civilians, as well as looting. Russia, for its part, has denied having committed war crimes and described the disturbing corpses as a “provocation” and a “staged show” by Ukraine, Reuters reported. The United States and other Western officials have since condemned Russia’s actions, with several lawmakers calling the allegations “barbaric” and “frightening” and calling for further sanctions against Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Russia’s actions were similar to “genocide”, telling CBS News that the country was trying to destroy and exterminate its people. European Council President Charles Michel tweeted on Sunday that he was “shocked by the haunted images of atrocities” committed by Russian troops and announced that more European Union sanctions against Moscow “are on the way”. Shocked by haunted images of atrocities committed by the Russian army in the liberated area of Kiev #BuchaMassacre The EU is assisting #Ukraine and NGOs in gathering the necessary evidence to prosecute in international courts. Further sanctions and EU support are on the way. Glory to Ukraine! – Charles Michel (@eucopresident) April 3, 2022 The war in Ukraine is about to enter its sixth week of fighting. So far, Russian troops have faced fierce Ukrainian opposition and have failed to capture any major cities. However, the war has led to widespread devastation in towns and villages and has forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes, according to the United Nations. Newsweek contacted the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry for additional comments, but was not notified for publication.
