“
In Boutcha, we have already buried 280 people in mass graves
”, because it was impossible to do so in the three cemeteries of the municipality, all within firing range of the Russian soldiers, Anatoly Fedorouk said on the telephone.
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“
In some streets, we see 15 to 20 corpses on the ground
”, but “
I cannot say how many there are still in the courtyards, behind the palisades
”, continued the mayor.
"
As long as the deminers have not come to check them, it is not recommended to pick them up
" because they can be trapped, he further said.
“
These are the consequences of the Russian occupation, of the actions
” of the enemy, Fedoruk said.
AFP saw the lifeless bodies of at least 20 men in civilian clothes lying on a street in Boutcha on Saturday.
One of the men had his hands tied and the bodies were strewn for several hundred yards.
The cause of their death could not be determined immediately, but one person had a large head wound.
Ukrainian forces were only able to fully penetrate Boutcha a day or two ago, which had been inaccessible for almost a month.
The Ukrainian soldiers present distributed aid to the population for the first time since this city returned to government control.
Russian forces are operating a "
rapid withdrawal
" from the Kyiv and Cherniguiv regions in northern Ukraine, with the aim of redeploying east and south, the Ukrainian government said on Saturday.