April 22, 2022
2 mins read

Possible mass graves near Mariupol  

In a statement, Maxar said a review of previous images indicates that the graves in Manhush were dug in late March and expanded in recent weeks…reports Asian Lite News

New satellite images show what appear to be mass graves near Mariupol, and local officials accused Russia of burying up to 9,000 Ukrainian civilians there in an effort to conceal the slaughter taking place in the siege of the port city.

The images emerged Thursday, just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the battle for Mariupol, despite the presence of an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian fighters who were still holed up at a giant steel mill. Putin ordered his troops to seal off the stronghold “so that not even a fly comes through” instead of storming it.

Satellite image provider Maxar Technologies released the photos, which it said showed more than 200 mass graves in a town where Ukrainian officials say the Russians have been burying Mariupol residents killed in the fighting. The imagery showed long rows of graves stretching away from an existing cemetery in the town of Manhush, outside Mariupol.

Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko accused the Russians of “hiding their military crimes” by taking the bodies of civilians from the city and burying them in Manhush.

The graves could hold as many as 9,000 dead, the Mariupol City Council said Thursday in a post on the Telegram messaging app.

Boychenko labeled Russian actions in the city as “the new Babi Yar,” a reference to the site of multiple Nazi massacres in which nearly 34,000 Ukrainian Jews were killed in 1941.

“The bodies of the dead were being brought by the truckload and actually simply being dumped in mounds,” an aide to Boychenko, Piotr Andryushchenko, said on Telegram.

There was no immediate reaction from the Kremlin. When mass graves and hundreds of dead civilians were discovered in Bucha and other towns around Kyiv after Russian troops retreated three weeks ago, Russian officials denied that their soldiers killed any civilians there and accused Ukraine of staging the atrocities.

In a statement, Maxar said a review of previous images indicates that the graves in Manhush were dug in late March and expanded in recent weeks.

After nearly two lethal months of bombardment that largely reduced Mariupol to a smoking ruin, Russian forces appear to control the rest of the strategic southern city, including its vital but now badly damaged port.

But a few thousand Ukrainian troops, by Moscow’s estimate, have stubbornly held out for weeks at the steel plant, despite a pummeling from Russian forces and repeated demands for their surrender. About 1,000 civilians were also trapped there, according to Ukrainian officials.

Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Russia of launching attacks to block civilian evacuations from Mariupol.

At least two Russian attacks on Thursday hit the city of Zaporizhzhia, a way station for people fleeing Mariupol. No one was wounded, the regional governor said.

ALSO READ-Russia sanctions Kamala Harris, Mark Zuckerberg

Previous Story

Modi, Johnson stress need for free Indo-Pacific

Next Story

UK TO BAN XINJIANG PRODUCTS

Latest from Europe

Russia and Ukraine swap hundreds more prisoners

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia’s defense ministry said each side brought home 307 more soldiers on Saturday Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds more prisoners on Saturday as part of a major

India Reaffirms Anti-Terror Stand

The delegation later called on former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, now Vice President of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Chairman of the Japan-India Association. Suga reiterated Japan’s firm backing for

Jaishankar hails Denmark’s support against terrorism

Jaishankar’s visit saw key meetings with Danish leadership, reaffirmed mutual efforts to fight terrorism, and included outreach to other international partners like Bahrain and Montenegro…reports Asian Lite News External Affairs Minister S.

Jaishankar Meets Dutch PM in The Hague

The two leaders also discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation across various sectors….reports Asian Lite News External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar met with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof in The Hague on Tuesday,

EAM Lands in Netherlands for Key Talks

EAM Jaishankar is on an official six-day visit to the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany, scheduled from May 19 to 24…reports Asian Lite News External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in the Netherlands
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Ukraine offers to swap prisoners for hurt Mariupol fighters

Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said the soldier could get up