Izium, Ukraine- Ukrainian authorities have discovered 440 unmarked graves, with the identities of many of those buried at the site and the causes of death still unknown.
Serhii Bolvinov, the chief police investigator for the Kharkiv region, said all the bodies would be exhumed and taken away for forensic examination as part of a major police effort, along with prosecutors and other investigators, to gather evidence of suspected Russian war crimes.
“I can say that this is one of the biggest burials in one liberated city, which contains more than 440 graves. Some 440 bodies were buried in one place. We know that some were killed (shot dead), and some died because of artillery fire, and so-called mine explosion traumas. Some died because of airstrikes. Also, we have information that a lot of bodies have not yet been identified. So the reasons for death will be established during the investigations.
For me, it was especially shocking and horrific and this is a crime against humanity. It shouldn’t be like this in a civilized world in 2022. This is such a horrendous story and unpleasant from any angle. I am confident that the evil will definitely be punished,” said Bolvinov.
Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications said on Thursday that some of the graves discovered at Izium were fresh and that the corpses buried there were mostly civilians.
Earlier Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian and international journalists would be shown the site to see what had been uncovered.
“We want the world to know what is really happening and what the Russian occupation has led to. Bucha, Mariupol and now, unfortunately, Izium. Russia leaves death everywhere and must be responsible for it. The world must hold Russia to real responsibility for this war. We will do everything for this,” said Zelensky.
Izium was subject to intense Russian artillery attacks in April, and the city, which sits near the border between the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, became an important hub for Russia during five months of occupation
However, Ukrainian forces took back control of the city on Saturday, delivering a strategic blow to Russia’s military assault in the east.
Local officials estimate that as many as 1 000 people died in Izium during the occupation, many from a lack of medicine and medical care. The city had a prewar population of some 40 000, although only an estimated 10 000 residents remained during the fighting.
