Regional police have opened a “war crimes” investigation into the allegations, Igor Klymenko said.
Kharkiv:
Ukraine today accused Russia of detaining and killing civilians in the border town of Vovchansk, in the northeast region of Kharkiv, where Russian forces launched a ground attack last week.
“Russian troops are taking civilian prisoners,” said Interior Minister Igor Klymenko in a Telegram post.
“According to intelligence reports, the Russian military, trying to gain a foothold in the city, did not allow local residents to evacuate: they began to kidnap people and take them to basements.”
He said there were also “reports of the first shootings against civilians by the Russian military.”
“One of the residents of Vovchansk tried to escape on foot, refused to follow the invaders’ orders and was killed by the Russians.”
Regional police have opened a “war crimes” investigation into the allegations, Klymenko said.
AFP was unable to verify the claims. There was no immediate response from Moscow to the accusations.
Ukraine has evacuated nearly 9,000 people in the week since Russian forces crossed the border in a surprise ground attack.
Russian soldiers have previously been accused of executing civilians in parts of Ukraine they have captured and controlled since they invaded in February 2022.
In April 2022, the bodies of dozens of civilians, some with their hands tied, were found in the Kiev suburb of Bucha after a month-long occupation by Russian forces.
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