Evidence appeared to indicate that the Russians had singled out Ukrainian civilian men and killed them in an organised fashion, with many of their bodies in particular found dead with their hands tied behind their backs.[1] On 2 April, an AFP reporter stated he had seen at least twenty bodies of civilians lying in the streets of Bucha, with two of the bodies having tied hands, implying a summary execution. Fedoruk said that these individuals had all been shot in the back of the head.[7]
Bodies of dead naked women were also found, and there were signs that Russians had unsuccessfully attempted to burn the bodies.[1][7] Residents indicated civilians had been shot in their cars while driving, with two cars driving together, raked by machine gun fire from an armoured vehicle, with only two survivors. Residents claimed Russian troops also forbade relatives from removing the bodies afterwards.[9]
Residents, talking to Human Rights Watch following the retreat of the Russian forces, described the treatment of people in the town during the short occupation: Russian soldiers went door to door, questioning people, destroying their possessions, and looting their clothes to wear them themselves.[4] Civilians were fired upon when leaving their homes for food and water, and would be ordered back into their homes by occupying Russian troops, despite a lack of basic necessities such as water and heat due to destruction of local infrastructure. Snipers fired upon civilians. Russian armed vehicles would randomly fire into buildings in the town. Russian troops refused medical aid to civilians they injured. A mass grave was dug for local victims, and the occupying troops carried out extrajudicial executions.[4]
Russian forces killed three unarmed Ukrainian civilians on 4 March who were delivering dog food to a dog shelter.[10] In another incident, Russian soldiers in an armored vehicle opened fire on civilians fleeing in cars, killing a man, woman and two children.[9] According to residents of Bucha, upon entering the town, Russian tanks and military vehicles drove down the streets shooting randomly at house windows
“Bodies of dead naked women were also found, and there were signs that Russians had unsuccessfully attempted to burn the bodies”
That’s the most disturbing part. The hundreds of bodies found are those the Russian’s failed to hide. Presumably from the last hours of the retreat.
How many raped and murdered women had their bodies burned or buried across the Russian occupied regions. It will take years to find all of them.