The Canadian Foreign Minister said images coming out of the Ukrainian city of Bucha on Monday “clearly” show that “war crimes” have been committed.
Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie is just the latest Western official to condemn Moscow’s actions in Ukraine after Russian troops withdrew from the city on the outskirts of Kyiv, leaving behind streets littered with corpses of civilians.
Some appear to have been killed intentionally at close range. Some of the bodies were left in the open or in hastily excavated graves.
“This weekend the world witnessed a heinous and senseless attack on innocent civilians in Bucha. These terrorist acts will not go unpunished,” Jolie told a news conference with her Finnish counterpart in Helsinki on Monday.
“These are obviously war crimes.”
WATCH Horrifying scenes appear near Kyiv as Russian troops retreat
Horrifying scenes appear near Kyiv as Russian troops retreat
WARNING: This video contains graphics. The devastation of the war is nowhere more obvious than in Bucha, one of Kyiv’s northern suburbs, where the streets are lined with bodies of civilians and burnt-out war machines. 5:05
On Monday afternoon, the House of Commons adopted a proposal by NDP MP Heather McPherson condemning the Bucha scenes as war crimes.
The proposal also calls on parliament to support increased aid to Ukraine, accountability to the International Criminal Court and stricter trade restrictions and economic sanctions against Russia.
“These disgusting actions require action. “Vladimir Putin and the Russian military should not be left out,” McPherson said.
“There must be more sanctions: Jolie
Jolie said Canada would continue to support the International Criminal Court’s investigation into the actions of Russian troops during the war.
Along with the three RCMP special investigators already in court, the RCMP is sending seven additional special investigators to The Hague to support the investigation of reports of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.
“Responsibility will be sought,” Jolie said.
On Monday, the government announced a new round of sanctions against those linked to the Russian and Belarusian regimes. Canada includes nine other Russians and nine Belarusians on its list “for facilitating and allowing violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.”
A dead body lies on the ground on a street in Bucha, northwest of Kyiv. (Ronaldo Shemid / AFP / Getty Images)
“There needs to be more sanctions and there will be more sanctions,” Jolie said.
“On the issue of providing deadly weapons, of course, my fellow Defense Minister Anita Anand is working on many scenarios and I will support her as she does her job.
Foreign Secretary Melanie Jolie said Canada would continue to support the International Criminal Court’s investigation. (Canadian Press / Adrian Wilde)
On Monday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky again called on Russia to negotiate an agreement to end the war.
“Dead people were found in barrels, basements, strangled, tortured,” he said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has denied the allegations, calling the scenes outside Kyiv a “directed anti-Russian provocation.”
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