People cry as they gather close to a mass grave in the town of Bucha, just northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. April 3, 2022 - Copyright Credit: AFP

Horrific images spark Ukraine to accuse Russia of genocide near Kyiv

By Chris Harris

Published on 04/04/2022 - 15:08•Updated 21:50

Moscow has rejected the allegations, describing the scenes outside Kyiv as a “stage-managed anti-Russian provocation”.

Ukrainian officials said the bodies of hundreds of civilians had been found in towns around the capital Kyiv after Russian troops withdrew.

The images of handcuffed corpses lying face down in the streets or hastily dug graves in Bucha unleashed a wave of outrage, with European leaders joining Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in calling it a genocide.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected the allegations, describing the scenes outside Kyiv as a “stage-managed anti-Russian provocation”.

Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki described Russia as a “totalitarian-fascist state," saying “the bloody massacres perpetrated by Russian soldiers deserve to be called by name: This is genocide." Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also used the word “genocide,” saying those responsible should answer for their crimes.

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