Ukraine's president accuses Russia of hiding evidence of war crimes

By Rabia Iclal Turan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukraine’s president accused Russia on Wednesday of "hiding evidence" of war crimes to avoid global outrage.

"We have information that the Russian troops have changed tactics and are trying to remove the dead people, the dead Ukrainians, from the streets and cellars of territory they occupied," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily video address.

“It seems that the Russian leadership is really afraid that the global anger over what was seen in Bucha would be repeated after what was seen in other cities,” he said.

Noting that Western sanctions against Russia are not enough, he insisted that "the democratic world must refuse Russian oil."

"It is the oil exports that serve as one of the foundations of Russia's aggression," Zelenskyy said.

Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has drawn international outrage, with Western countries and their allies implementing tough financial sanctions on Moscow.

Moscow is facing even more vehement criticism from the international community after Ukraine accused Russian forces of committing “genocide” and “war crimes” in Bucha, a city near the capital Kyiv.

The US announced a major escalation in its economic sanctions against Russia on Wednesday, targeting a wide swathe of the Russian economy and blacklisting family members of senior officials.

European Council President Charles Michel said they will have to introduce measures against imports of Russian oil and even gas at some point to keep maximum pressure on the Kremlin.

Russia, on the other hand, accuses the European Union of using energy resources as a "blackmailing tool" against Moscow.

At least 1,563 civilians have been killed in Ukraine and 2,213 injured, according to UN estimates, with the true figure feared to be far higher.

More than 4.27 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries, with millions more internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.