The bodies of 450 civilians with traces of violent death and torture have been buried in a forest in Izyum, Kharkiv Region. Today law enforcers started exhumation, the head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, Oleh Synehubov, has said.
"Among the bodies exhumed today, 99% bear signs of violent death. There are several bodies with their hands tied behind their backs and one person buried with a rope around his neck. Clearly, these people were tortured and executed. There are also children among the buried," he said.
He added that about 200 law enforcers and experts are working at the site. The exhumed bodies will be sent for forensic examination to determine the exact cause of death.
The dead will be buried with due respect after identification, Synehubov promised.
He said that all deaths would be investigated and become evidence of Russian war crimes in international courts.