Ukrainian authorities discovered several burial sites of people who died during the Russian occupation, according to The New York Times. The largest mass grave site had 440 unmarked graves.
How were the graves found?
Russia took control of the city of Izium in late March and occupied the region for six months. The BBC reported that Izium and other cities in Ukraine were liberated earlier this month during a “swift Ukrainian counteroffensive.”
After Ukraine took back the area, the graves were found.
Who is buried in the graves and what happened to them?
According to CNN, Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications said that the buried bodies are mostly civilians. Soldiers are also suspected to be buried there.
Men have begun to dig out the bodies. They found some of the exhumed corpses had their hands tied and one had a rope pattern on the neck, according to Reuters.
The buried bodies seem to have died in several ways. Some died from shelling, airstrikes, lack of health care access, and there is also evidence of torture. Forensic investigations will continue to be carried out on every grave, per The Guardian.
What did President Zelenskyy say about the discovery?
The tragic discovery led to a response from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He accused Russia of “leaving death everywhere” after the graves were discovered.
“Russia leaves only death and suffering. Murderers. Torturers. Deprived of everything human. You won’t run away. You won’t hide. Retribution will be justly dreadful,” he wrote in a Telegram post.
What happens now?
Investigators and prosecutors have been dispatched to the site to look for evidence of war crimes committed by Russia, per The New York Times. The United Nations will also be sending a monitoring team to Izium in the next few days.