Ukraine war: Satellite photos appear to contradict Russian denials over Bucha atrocities
Russia's war in Ukraine is taking on a new dimension with growing evidence of human rights atrocities by Vladimir Putin's troops, accused of killing civilians in cold blood as they retreat from the Kyiv region.
Moves are afoot to investigate war crimes but there are fears that similar massacres could occur, given Russia's failure to gain control of the country or even any key cities following its invasion on February 24.
Moscow is now concentrating its offensive on eastern and southern Ukraine. Thousands have been killed so far and Russian bombardments have caused widespread devastation. Millions have fled their homes, creating Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War II.
The war has deepened the rupture between Moscow and the West, which is considering more economic sanctions against Moscow.
Satellite images released by Maxar Technologies on April 4, 2022 show views of streets in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv in Ukraine.
The photos taken on March 31 seem to show bodies lying in the streets, before Russian forces retreated from the devastated Ukrainian town.
They give the lie to Russian assertions that dead bodies in civilian clothing found in Bucha had appeared there afterwards.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the images contained “signs of video forgery and various fakes”. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed the scenes outside Kyiv as a “stage-managed anti-Russian provocation,” prompting one Ukrainian MP to accuse him of lying.
Associated Press journalists in Bucha counted dozens of corpses in civilian clothes and apparently without weapons, many shot at close range, and some with their hands bound or their flesh burned.
(with AFP, AP)
Good morning, this is Alasdair Sandford with the latest updates
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