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04th Apr 2022

Zelenskyy brands Russian invasion of Ukraine ‘genocide’ as bodies litter the streets

Danny Jones

This comes after his surprise speech at the Grammys

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has labelled Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “genocide”.

Speaking on Sunday, the Ukrainian leader warned that his people could face “extermination” as CBS Face the Nation presenter Margaret Brennan asked the question, “Is this genocide?”, to which Zelenskyy simply replied, “Indeed”.

Zelenskyy said that Ukraine’s people and cities are filled with more than 100 nationalities and that “this [war] is about the destruction and extermination of all these nationalities”.

You can see the full interview here:

Ukrainian officials have stated that bodies of women and children were found raped and set afire, and men were tortured and executed while their hands were tied behind their backs in the city of Bucha.

The atrocities were made known as Russian troops pulled out of the city, with the bodies of local officials also found among the dead.

At least 20 bodies, some with their hands bound, were seen strewn across a single street in the town of Bucha, near Kyiv, on Sunday, The Sun reported. Similar reports have also come out of Irpin, which has been under constant bombardment from Russian forces.

Ukrainian officials say 410 people have been found dead in towns near Kyiv so far, at least 300 killed in Bucha alone. A mass grave discovered in Bucha contained 57 bodies. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued a statement arguing that the Kremlin’s lack of denial not only highlights the authenticity of reports but that “Putin is desperate”.

The grim developments come after Zelenskyy gave a powerful surprise appearance at this year’s Grammy awards, calling on attendees and viewers to do their part and urging them to help “in any way you can – any, but not silence”.

On a night where music and entertainment are celebrated, he noted the stark difference between the occasion and the conditions in Ukraine, stating “our musicians wear body armour instead of tuxedos”, before imploring artists to fill the “dead silence” of their bombed-out cities with music and help tell Ukraine’s story.

You can watch Zelensky’s full interview on Face the Nation down below.

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