'Tortured, executed civilians': Reaction to Ukraine war dead

World leaders have reacted with horror to the images of dead civilians sprawled out in the open north of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, after Russian soldiers either retreated or were forced back

Global reaction Monday to what appears to be deliberate killings of civilians in Ukraine in areas north of Kyiv, the capital, where Russian soldiers have either retreated or been pushed back:

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"Hundreds of people killed. Tortured, executed civilians. Bodies on the streets. Boobytrapped area. Even the bodies of the dead are boobytrapped. Widespread aftermath of looting. Concentrated evil has visited our land. The killers, executioners, rapists, marauders who call themselves an army ... The world has already seen many war crimes. At different times. On different continents. But it is time to do everything so that the war crimes of the Russian military become the last manifestation of such evil on earth.” ___ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a video address.

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“The bloody massacres committed by the Russians, by the Russian soldiers, deserve to be called by their name. It is genocide and this crime must be tried as the crime of genocide ... When we look at the terrible crimes against women, children and entire families, our scream should be even louder. Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel, Motyzhyn: (these) are the names of the places that each of us will probably remember for the rest of our lives. The Russians committed the crime of genocide.” ___ Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

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“This information should be seriously doubted. From what we have seen, the video material can’t be trusted, as our specialists from the Defense Ministry detected signs of video forgery and various fakes. The facts, the chronology of events also doesn’t speak in favor of the credibility of these claims ... We would require many world leaders not to rush with statements, groundless accusations.” ___ Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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“We are all extremely shocked and we have condemned it with the utmost strength. Secondly, it is clear that there is clear evidence of war crimes. It was the Russian army that was in Bucha. We have told Ukrainian authorities that we were at their disposal to help with the investigation they’re carrying out. International justice must prevail. Those who committed these crimes will have to answer for them ... What just happened in Bucha calls for a new round of sanctions and very clear measures" ___ French President Emmanuel Macron on France-Inter.

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“The reports of Ukrainian civilians who have been killed, raped and severely wounded by Russian troops is beyond reprehensible. Russia must answer to the world for what they’ve done.” ___ New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

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“I hope that everything possible can be done so that those behind these war crimes don’t go unpunished, and that they can appear before the courts, in this case the International Criminal Court, to answer these alleged cases of crimes against humanity, war crimes and, why not say it, of genocide, too.” __ Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the “Wake Up, Spain” forum.

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“Yet again, the Kremlin is showing its true face targeting, murdering civilians, destroying civilian infrastructure, violating international humanitarian law and committing war crimes. The Russian authorities are responsible for these crimes, for these violations and the perpetrators of all these violations and war crimes will be held accountable." ___ European Union foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano.

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“This is scary, this is genocide, this is fascism. This is the extermination of people, innocent people, children, women and the elderly.” ___ Olena Kolesnik, a refugee from Kharkiv, Ukraine.

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“I hope that everything possible can be done so that those behind these war crimes don’t go unpunished, and that they can appear before the courts, in this case the International Criminal Court, to answer these alleged cases of crimes against humanity, war crimes and, why not say it, of genocide, too.” __ Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the “Wake Up, Spain” forum.

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“I was strongly shocked that a brutal act of violence was conducted on civilians in the outskirts of Kyiv. Murdering innocent civilians is a violation of international humanitarian law and it’s absolutely unacceptable.” ___ Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi at a government briefing.

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Follow all AP stories on the Russian invasion of Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.