'Most outrageous atrocity of 21st century': Ukrainian official says mass graves found in Bucha

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The Russia and Ukraine crisis continues to escalate with each day passing. Hundreds are dead, thousands are injured and millions have left the war-torn country to save their lives.

The latest development from ground zero reveals a gruesome reality as Ukrainian authorities claimed to have found a mass grave in Bucha, a town outside Kyiv. Bucha was recently retaken by Ukrainian forces from Russian troops.

As reported by news agency AFP, fifty-seven people were buried in a mass grave in Bucha, a local official said on Sunday (April 3), showing a slit trench where the bodies lay.

As per the news agency, around ten bodies were visible, either unburied or partially covered by the earth. Some of the bodies were left in civilian clothing, whereas some were said to be concealed in black zip-up body bags.

Serhii Kaplychnyi, who identified himself as head of the rescue services in Bucha, told the news agency: "Here in this long grave, 57 people are buried." As per reports, the mass grave is behind a church in the town centre.

On Saturday (April 2), the mayor of Bucha said that 300 residents had been killed by Russian troops during a month-long occupation. The reported atrocities in Bucha led the countries like Germany and France to accuse Russia of war crimes.

Also, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Sunday (April 3) that civilian killings in Bucha were the "most outrageous atrocity of the 21st century."

"Without an exaggeration, by what we have seen in Bucha and vicinity, we can conclude that Russia is worse than ISIS in the scale and ruthlessness of the crimes committed," he said as quoted by the news agency Reuters while speaking to reporters during a visit to Warsaw.

WATCH |UN: Over 4.1 million Ukrainians have fled country and 6.83 million displaced since Russia invaded

(With inputs from agencies)