Russian atrocities in Kherson region same as other regions — Zelensky
KHERSON, Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that Ukrainian forces that retook the city of Kherson found evidence of new war crimes by Russian occupiers.
“The Russian army left behind the same atrocities as in other regions of our country,” he said in a nightly address.
“Investigators have already documented more than 400 war crimes,” the Ukrainian leader said, without clearly specifying the area in which they were found.
“The bodies of the killed are being found, both civilians and military,” he said. “We will find and bring to justice every murderer.”
Ukrainians in the liberated city have expressed a deep sense of relief over the end of months of occupation as Russian forces pulled out on Friday.
But, like Zelensky, they said the Russians had left a trail of destruction, laying mines and going on a looting spree — even stealing animals from a zoo — before their humiliating withdrawal.
“God will punish them. All of them. For everything they did,” said Svitlana Vilna, 47.
Ruined buildings and destroyed military vehicles could be seen at the entrance to the strategic Black Sea port city, where battles raged just days ago.
A smell of burning wood wafted through the air.
“I ask you not to forget that the situation in the Kherson region is still very dangerous,” Zelensky said.
He said a Ukrainian sapper had been killed while removing a mine, while four others were injured.
Zelensky said workers were moving to quickly restore critical infrastructure destroyed by the Russians, including water, electricity, internet and television links, as well as transport and postal services.
Kherson was one of four regions in Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed to have annexed in September. — AFP