Boris Johnson slams Russia’s ‘despicable attacks’ on Bucha citizens

The Prime Minister has joined in the chorus of outrage at Russian conduct on the outskirts of Kyiv (Picture: AP/EPA/AFP/Getty)

WARNING: Graphic images

Boris Johnson has now vowed not to rest ‘until justice is served’ as he condemned Russia’s ‘despicable attacks’ on Ukrainian civilians near Kyiv.

The Prime Minister suggested Vladimir Putin and his forces would pay for the killings of civilians in Bucha and Irpin.

He added that ‘no denial or disinformation from the Kremlin’ can conceal that the Russian President is ‘desperate’ and ‘his invasion is failing’.

Mr Johnson’s interventions comes amid widespread horror around the globe at pictures emerging from around the Ukrainian capital as Russian forces retreat.

Mutilated and booby-trapped bodies litter the streets of Bucha and Irpin, where countless civilians with their hands tied have been found dead, seemingly executed by Russian troops.

An adviser to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that the scenes resembled a ‘horror movie’.

Ukrainian soldiers used cables to drag bodies off one street from a distance amid fears they may be booby-trapped.

In a statement this evening, Mr Johnson said the UK is ‘stepping up’ its sanctions and military support, and ‘bolstering’ humanitarian help for people on the ground.

A man with his wrists tied behind his back lies on a street in Bucha (Picture: AFP)

The body of a civilian, who residents say was killed by Russian soldiers, beside the entrance of a basement (Picture: Reuters)

He said: ‘The UK has been at the forefront of supporting the International Criminal Court’s investigation into atrocities committed in Ukraine.

‘The Justice Secretary has authorised additional financial support and the deployment of specialist investigators – we will not rest until justice is served.’

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said ‘indiscriminate’ attacks by Russian forces against innocent civilians in Irpin and Bucha must be investigated as war crimes.

Ms Truss said Russia would not be allowed to cover up its involvement through ‘cynical disinformation’.

The lifeless bodies of men with their hands tied behind their backs in Bucha (Picture: AP)

Prime Minister @BorisJohnson’s statement on Russia’s despicable attacks against innocent civilians in Irpin and Bucha.https://t.co/Rikh4DCXMy pic.twitter.com/RUZ8t82DOH

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 3, 2022

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s spokesman Sergey Nikiforov said authorities in Ukraine had found what looked ‘exactly like war crimes’, including the bodies of executed civilians and mass graves.

Mr Nikiforov told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme: ‘We found mass graves. We found people with their hands and with their legs tied up… and with shots, bullet holes, in the back of their head.

‘They were clearly civilians and they were executed.

‘We found half-burned bodies as if somebody tried to hide their crimes but they didn’t have enough time to do it properly.’

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday said he was ‘deeply shocked’ by images of dead civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, and he called for an independent investigation that ‘leads to effective accountability.’

A garden grave where two men have been buried – residents say they were shot dead in the eye by Russian soldiers (Picture: Reuters)

Mr Guterres posted his comments on Twitter a day after witnesses and officials said that Russian troops killed almost 300 civilians as they withdrew from the town near Kyiv.

The Russian defense ministry denied that Russian forces killed civilians in Bucha, saying that videos and photographs of bodies were ‘yet another provocation’ by the Ukrainian government.

President Zelensky accused Russia of genocide amid the global backlash to the scenes in Bucha.

Ukraine is demanding crippling new sanctions on Russia from major Western powers, while Germany said that those responsible for war crimes should pay.

Russia-Ukraine war: Everything you need to know

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, the country has suffered widespread damages and loss of life amid a major bombing campaign.

Millions of people have fled the country, with thousands of British people opening up their homes to Ukrainian refugees.

During the course of the war, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has remained in Kyiv, despite the Ukrainian capital being subjected to a barrage of bombing.

Zelensky has continuously pushed for aid and support from world leaders, as well as pressing for fast-tracked NATO membership.

Meanwhile, Russia's President Vladimir Putin has been widely condemned for his attack on Ukraine.

His actions have been met by harsh economic sanctions, bans from competing in major sporting events, and countries moving away from using Russian oil.

• When did Russia invade Ukraine? A war timeline of important events
• How can I house a Ukrainian refugee or family?
• Where to buy a Ukraine ribbon pin
• When did President Vladimir Putin come to power?
• Who is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky?
• What is Ukraine’s currency, language, and what does its flag symbolise?
• Does Russia have any allies and what have they said about Ukraine?
• What is NATO and which countries are members?
• How to talk to children about what’s happening in Ukraine
• How to cope with World War Three anxiety

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