AFP, Kyiv

RUSSIAN ‘WAR CRIMES’

Ukraine accuses Russian troops of war crimes after the discovery of mass graves and civilians apparently “executed” in the streets of Bucha, near the capital Kyiv. AFP reporters see at least 20 bodies, all in civilian clothing, strewn across a single street. UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss calls for “indiscriminate” Russian attacks in Bucha and elsewhere to “be investigated as war crimes”. Germany’s vice chancellor Robert Habeck says a “terrible war crime” has been carried out. EU chief Charles Michel pledges further sanctions on Moscow as he condemns “atrocities” near Kyiv.

AIR STRIKES HIT ODESSA

Air strikes rock Ukraine’s strategic Black Sea port Odessa yesterday morning, but the army says there were no casualties. “High-precision sea and air-based missiles destroyed an oil refinery and three storage facilities for fuel and lubricants near the city of Odessa,” the Russian defence ministry says.

11 UKRAINIAN MAYORS HELD BY RUSSIANS

Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk says 11 local community leaders in in the Kyiv, Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Donetsk regions are “in captivity”.

TOO SOON FOR PEACE SUMMIT

Russia’s chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky says it is too early for a top-level meeting between Zelensky and Putin on ending the conflict. He says Ukraine has become “more realistic” in its approach to issues related to the neutral and non-nuclear status of Ukraine but a draft agreement for submission to a summit meeting is not ready.

MINES AND BOOBY TRAPS

Ukraine President Zelensky accuses Russian soldiers of planting mines and other booby traps as they withdraw from northern Ukraine.

NEARLY 4.2M REFUGEES

Nearly 4.2 million Ukrainians have fled their country since Russia’s invasion began on February 24, with almost 40,000 pouring into neighbouring countries in the past 24 hours, UN numbers show. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, yesterday said that 4,176,401 Ukrainians had fled in just over five weeks, up 38,559 from the figure given a day earlier. Women and children account for 90 percent of those who have left Ukraine.