The White House shared details Friday about possible mass graves found in the recently reclaimed Ukrainian city of Izyum, calling it a sign of “depravity and brutality” on the part of Russian forces under the command of Vladimir Putin.
National Security Council coordinator John Kirby responded to reports of mass graves, saying they could include civilians.
UKRAINIAN MEDIC ONCE HELD BY RUSSIANS SHARES HORRIFYING DETAILS
“Izyum, as you know, Ukraine just recently liberated from Russian control,” he said. “The reports that we’re seeing in general are more than 440 mass graves, which reportedly include civilians. And it’s horrifying. It’s repugnant, and sadly, it’s in keeping with the kind of depravity and the brutality with which Russian forces have been prosecuting this war against Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.”
The United States will continue to support efforts to document war crimes and atrocities committed by Russian forces in the invaded country, Kirby added, along with assisting national and international efforts to identify and hold Russians accountable.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that a “mass burial site” had been found in the recently liberated city, which is located in eastern Ukraine.
The Associated Press reported that the mass burial site was located in a forest near Izyum, marked by hundreds of wooden crosses.
Most of the crosses seen by the Associated Press were only marked with numbers, but a larger grave had a marker indicating that the bodies of 17 Ukrainian soldiers were buried there. Investigators were scanning the site for hidden explosives on Thursday, according to the Associated Press.
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A Ukrainian official told Sky News that 440 graves were found in Izyum and that the bodies will be exhumed and evaluated for evidence of Russian war crimes.
