Warning: A number of the pictures on this story are disturbing. Reader discretion is suggested.
Ukraine’s normal prosecutor’s workplace has opened an investigation into the deaths of 10 individuals who had been allegedly shot by Russian forces whereas ready in a line for bread within the northern metropolis of Chernihiv.
Graphic photographs and video confirmed what gave the impression to be lifeless our bodies mendacity on the street. The our bodies themselves have been blurred by the prosecutor’s workplace and media retailers, together with International Information.
A blurred picture exhibits what seems to be useless our bodies on the road close to a grocery retailer in Chernihiv, Ukraine, on March 16, 2022. Ukrainian officers say the useless are civilians who had been killed by Russian troops as they stood in line for bread.
Ukraine Common Prosecutor’s Workplace
The workplace mentioned the civilians had been shot round 10 a.m. native time Wednesday close to a grocery retailer, and that extra data was being gathered.
It mentioned the incident was a possible violation of worldwide regulation and a possible battle crime.
Learn extra:
Russia is accused of battle crimes in Ukraine. Will investigations accomplish something?
The incident was additionally reported by the pinnacle of the regional administration, Vyacheslav Chaus, and the U.S. embassy in Ukraine.
“Such horrific assaults should cease. We’re contemplating all obtainable choices to make sure accountability for any atrocity crimes in Ukraine,” the U.S. embassy mentioned on Twitter.
Russian defence ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov mentioned the report and pictures of alleged victims that had appeared in numerous Ukrainian retailers was a “hoax launched by the Ukrainian Safety Service.”
“No Russian troopers are or have been in Chernihiv. All items are exterior of the Chernihiv metropolis limits, blocking roads, and are usually not conducting any offensive motion,” he mentioned.

Chernihiv has been besieged for days by Russian assaults, together with airstrikes and shelling, and is totally surrounded by Russian forces which can be occupying the northern space between town and the Belarusian border.
A lot of town has been with out warmth or water since final week, in line with native officers. Repeated efforts to evacuate civilians by means of humanitarian corridors have been interrupted by assaults.
Individually on Wednesday, Ukraine’s emergencies service mentioned rescue staff had discovered the our bodies of 5 individuals, together with three youngsters, within the ruins of a dormitory constructing broken by shelling within the metropolis.
New satellite tv for pc pictures taken Wednesday by house expertise firm Maxar and obtained by International Information present burning houses and a broken Olympic sports activities coaching facility in Chernihiv.
Multispectral picture view of burning houses in residential space of Chernihiv, Ukraine, on March 16, 2022.
Satellite tv for pc picture ©2022 Maxar Applied sciences
Massive craters and broken Olympic sports activities coaching middle/stadium are seen in Chernihiv, Ukraine, on March 16, 2022.
Satellite tv for pc picture ©2022 Maxar Applied sciences
Maxar’s newest pictures additionally confirmed what gave the impression to be Russian self-propelled howitzers and a number of rocket launchers deployed exterior town.
Deployment of Russian self-propelled howitzers and a number of rocket launchers northeast of Chernihiv, Ukraine, on March 16, 2022.
Satellite tv for pc picture ©2022 Maxar Applied sciences
Moscow has denied it’s concentrating on civilians, insisting its “particular army operation” is concentrated on demilitarizing Ukraine. Eyewitness proof, nevertheless, has proven missiles hitting residential buildings, hospitals and colleges.
The prosecutor’s workplace says it has documented practically 1,600 potential battle crimes and violations of worldwide regulation for the reason that Russian invasion started three weeks in the past. It says 103 youngsters have been killed as of Wednesday, with one other 113 injured, together with in Chernihiv.
The United Nations estimates greater than 600 civilians have been killed in Ukraine, with hundreds extra injured.
On Wednesday, the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice — the judicial arm of the U.N. — ordered Russia to drag its troops out of Ukraine after discovering Russian claims of genocide towards jap separatists was not a legitimate justification for the invasion.
— with information from Reuters
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