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Report: Ukraine Says Mass Graves at Izium 'Worse' Than Bucha 'Atrocities'

(Newsmax)

By    |   Tuesday, 20 September 2022 04:37 PM EDT

United States officials were alerted to the mass graves discovered in Izium, Ukraine, after Russian military forces were pushed out of the city, and how their Ukrainian counterparts are characterizing the post-conflict situation as "worse" than the Bucha killings from April.

While speaking to the media Tuesday, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan relayed portions of his conversation with Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian chief of staff.

"[Yermak] gave me a report about what the Ukrainians were discovering around Izium, and he put it quite bluntly: He said that this is in some ways 'worse than Bucha,' and we will see more of these as we go, as Ukraine deoccupies towns that have previously been occupied by Russian forces," said Sullivan. "We are finding increasing evidence of these mass atrocities."

According to U.S. officials, more than 440 bodies — including civilians and children — have been located in Izium; and police found a "mass grave" comprising the bodies of 17 Ukrainian soldiers.

Also, CNBC reports that many bodies had broken bones, hands tied behind their backs, and other signs of torture.

"We are going to work with the international community through every mechanism that is available to hold Russia accountable for this," said Sullivan.

In a video address from Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that investigators discovered more than 10 torture chambers in the liberated areas of Kharkiv region.

In April, Newsmax chronicled how six charred bodies had been piled together in Bucha, the town outside of Kyiv where "graphic evidence of killings and torture" had followed the withdrawal of Russian forces.

One of the smaller bodies found was likely a child, said Andrii Nebytov, head of police in the Kyiv region. Also, one body had sustained a gunshot to the head.

The Associated Press attested to witnessing the pile of bodies firsthand, just off a residential street, near a colorful and empty playground, and was "visible to passersby as they warily went outdoors to collect aid."

The reports of more than 450 dead bodies being found in Bucha prompted Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to label Russian President Vladimir Putin as the "Butcher of Bucha."

In his tweet from April, Grassley compared Putin to the Gestapo's Klaus Barbie, who was called the "Butcher of Lyon" for his atrocities in World War II.

Grassley wrote: "Putin now earns title of 'Butcher of Bucha' for execution of civilians. Just like Klaus Barbie was the Butcher of Lyon in World War II."

President Joe Biden soon followed up with his own criticism of Putin, telling The Associated Press in April: "You saw what happened in Bucha." Putin "is a war criminal. What's happening in Bucha is outrageous, and everyone sees it."

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United States officials were alerted to the mass graves discovered in Izium, Ukraine, after Russian military forces were pushed out of the city, and how their Ukrainian counterparts are characterizing the post-conflict situation as "worse" than the Bucha killings from April.
russia, ukraine, war, putin, enemies, us, biden
453
2022-37-20
Tuesday, 20 September 2022 04:37 PM
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