Ukraine announces discovery of two more mass graves in Izium

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski announced Sunday the discovery of two more mass graves in Izium, a city in eastern Ukraine occupied until just two weeks ago by Russian military forces.

“Today I have received more information. Two more large mass graves with hundreds of people have been found. We are talking about Izium, a small town, you know? There are two more mass graves in a small town. That’s what’s happening,” Zelenski told the U.S. network CBS.

Zelenski has also defended the sanctions imposed on Russia and insisted on the need to extend them to put more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

So far 427 bodies had been found in mass graves: 202 of women, 189 of men and five of children. In addition, the bodies of 21 Ukrainian servicemen have been discovered.

On the other hand, Zelenski has emphasized that they have received from the United States several copies of the Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System. However, the Ukrainian president stressed that the number of these missiles is not enough to protect the civilian infrastructure from Russian attacks.

“We need security for our Ukrainians to return home. If it is safe, they will come back, settle down and work and pay taxes here. Then we wouldn’t have a $5 billion budget deficit. It would be better for everyone,” he has argued.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have reported that they shot down a Russian Su-25 fighter-bomber and an Mi-8 helicopter sent to pick up the pilot of the plane on Sunday, Ukrainian press reports.