More than 1000 civilian bodies stored in morgues near Kyiv: Reports

Ukraine's deputy prime minister, Olga Stefanishyna said that the “bodies of 1,020 civilians are being stored in morgues” in and around Kyiv after Russian troops withdrew from areas around the capital, The Guardian reported citing AFP.

Her comments came after police said they discovered the remains of nine civilians in the town of Borodianka, some 54 kilometres (34 miles) from the capital, buried in communal graves and showing signs of torture.

Kyiv regional governor, Oleksandr Pavliuk said that victims were “either killed or tortured to death during the hostilities.”

“Forensic experts are now examining the bodies, but what we saw was hands tied behind the back, their legs tied and shot through the limbs, and in the back of the head,” Pavliuk said.

According to Andriy Niebytov, head of the police in the Kyiv region, the people killed “show signs of torture”.

“I want to emphasise that these people were civilians. The Russian military knowingly shot civilians who did not put up any resistance.”

He said police had discovered two graves around Borodyanka. Three people - including a 15-year-old girl - were discovered in one grave and a second grave held the bodies of six people, he said, reports BBC.

As Russian troops have retreated from areas surrounding Kyiv, evidence of atrocities has been uncovered, including the town of Bucha where at least 500 deaths have been found since the Russians left.