New sanctions are being prepared by the West against Russia following the "images of atrocities" in Bukhara, Kiev, where hundreds of corpses are depicted lying in the streets, which have been making the rounds around the world and causing disgust at the actions of Russian troops since the invasion of Ukraine.
According to the Financial Times, talks on a fifth round of tough sanctions against Moscow could take place next Wednesday. They are aimed at hitting Russia's economy and its elite government following allegations by Ukrainian authorities and NGOs of horrific attacks on unarmed civilians in areas near Kiev that have been retaken by Ukrainian forces.
Images of the city released show dozens of bodies strewn across the streets, all dressed in civilian clothes. A total of about 300 civilians have died since the attacks began last month. Although Bukhara has been liberated by Russian forces, it has suffered enormous damage from the fighting. Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister, Emine Zepar, wrote earlier on social media that "many civilians were killed by gunfire".
Allegations of Russian war crimes and calls for more Western military aid to Ukraine grew stronger after Moscow began withdrawing its troops from the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital last week, shifting the focus of the war to the east of the country.
European Council President Charles Michel, in a tweet, condemned the Russian attacks on civilians while declaring himself shocked by "the images of atrocities committed by the Russian army in the liberated area of Kiev's Bukha". "The EU is assisting Ukraine and NGOs in gathering the necessary evidence for prosecution in international courts," Charles Michel added.
"Shocked by the news of atrocities by Russian forces, the EU is helping Ukraine to document the commission of war crimes," he said in a Twitter post, EU High Representative Josep Borel, adding that all cases need to be investigated by the International Criminal Court.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock also tweeted that "the images from Buka are unacceptable" and warned that "those responsible for these war crimes must be brought to justice." "We will strengthen sanctions against Russia and provide even greater support for Ukraine's defense."
A senior official in Ukraine's presidential office said today that a fifth package of sanctions would be imposed against Russia, targeting all its banks, closing ports to Russian ships and imposing an embargo on all Russian trade.
Andriy Shibiha, deputy director of the presidential office in Ukraine, said in remarks to television that the sanctions should be imposed regarding Russia's commission of atrocities in the town of Butcha, near Kiev.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaya Callas also called for "a fifth round of strong EU sanctions as soon as possible," saying Russia's killings of Ukrainian civilians were "pure war crimes."
Russia has so far not commented publicly on the allegations. Moscow has previously repeatedly denied Ukraine's claims that it has targeted civilians.
Source: Proto Thema
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