More than 400 war crimes uncovered in Kherson, says Zelensky

‘The army left behind the same atrocities as in other regions of our country’, said the President

Ukrainian investigators have discovered more than 400 Russian war crimes and the bodies of both civilians and military personnel in areas of the Kherson region, said President Volodymyr Zelensky.

During his nightly address on Sunday, he said: “Investigators have already documented more than 400 Russian war crimes, the bodies of both civilians and military personnel are being found.”

He added: “In the Kherson region, the Russian army left behind the same atrocities as in other regions of our country, where it was able to enter.”

He also said “stabilisation and the restoration of law” had been established in 226 settlements affecting more than 100,000 residents, and that the arrests of Russian soldiers and mercenaries were proceeding.

Fighting in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region was as intense as it had been in recent days with no letup in Russian attacks, he added.

“Battles in Donetsk region are just as intense as they have been in previous days,” Mr Zelensky said.

“The level of Russian attacks has not declined. And the level of our resilience and courage is at its highest. We will not allow them through our defence.”

His comments come two days after Russian forces withdrew from the Kherson region, marking one of the most embarrassing defeats for President Vladimir Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine nine months ago.

The city of Kherson was the only regional capital Russian forces had captured since the start of the conflict in a strategic move to build a land bridge to Crimea, which Mr Putin had illegally annexed in 2014.

Before fleeing the city, Russian forces destroyed its critical infrastructure: communications, water, heat and electricity.

“(Russians) everywhere have the same goal: to humiliate people as much as possible. But we will restore everything, believe me,” said President Zelensky on Saturday.

Since the liberation of Kherson, local residents have celebrated Ukrainian control returning to the region.

However, the threat of further attacks remains after some Russian troops were left behind, with their discarded uniforms found in bins in the city. Authorities are concerned they may be posing as civilians.

The city was closed on Sunday for “filtration”, a process to help Ukrainian authorities identify the Russian soldiers.

Stanislav Stoikobv, head of territorial defence in the region, told The Independent that he was worried Moscow will start “heavily shelling” Kherson.

“We need the second half of Kherson and we will get it soon,” he said.