23:25 02/04/2022
Civilian casualties litter the streets after the withdrawal
The Ukrainian authorities announced that the Russian forces have made a "rapid withdrawal" from the surroundings of Kiev, which have already been taken over by the locals. They have also abandoned the Hostomel airport near the capital, leaving behind ruins and destruction. According to the same sources, Russian forces have also withdrawn from the main cities, including Irpin and Bucha. But as the Russian forces are retreating, the atrocities they have committed in the ranks of the civilian police are coming to light.
The Reuters news agency published footage from the streets of Busha where more than 20 civilians were found dead on the side of the road. Men between the ages of 18 and 60 were rounded up and executed by Russian soldiers. The city's mayor told news agencies that a mass grave in the city contained over 280 bodies.
The Ukrainian authorities also confirmed the killing of a well-known photojournalist in the vicinity of Kiev. Ukrainian forces are also advancing north of Kiev, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski accused retreating Russian soldiers of leaving landmines behind, taking innocent lives.
The Ukrainian presidency said it had recaptured more than 30 towns and villages since Russia announced it would focus the battle in the east. Moscow itself has described its withdrawal from Kiev as a goodwill gesture in the peace negotiations. But Ukraine and its allies say Russian forces have been forced to regroup after suffering heavy losses.
In the midst of this war, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, became the first European official to visit Kiev since the beginning of the fighting. She met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, where she promised him that the European Union would increase aid to Ukraine and help rebuild cities after the war.
TV Klan
