Zelensky claims Russia committed more than 400 war crimes in Kherson

Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed investigators have discovered evidence of more than 400 war crimes in Kherson.

Following the city’s liberation from Russia last week, the Ukrainian president said last night: ‘Investigators have already documented more than 400 Russian war crimes. Bodies of dead civilians and servicemen have been found.

‘The Russian army left behind the same savagery it did in other regions of the country it entered.

‘We will find and bring to justice every murderer. Without a doubt.’

The president also accused Russia of destroying key infrastructure as soldiers made their retreat from the city, which has left residents with no heat, water, electricity or lines of communication as winter approaches.

The occupiers also destroyed a 100-metre TV tower and at least four bridges as they left, dropping thousands of mines, tripwires and unexploded shells on their way.

Last week, a huge explosion at the Nova Kakhovka Dam caused considerable damage to the structure’s integrity, which could wipe out the entire region with a massive flood if destroyed.

Russia has continued to deny responsibility for any of the attacks and has repeatedly accused Ukraine of destroying its own infrastructure, as part of a ‘false flag’ operation designed to damage the Kremlin’s reputation.

President Zelensky says investigators have found evidence of more than 400 war crimes committed by Russians in Kherson (Picture: Shutterstock)

Russian soldiers destroyed all critical infrastructure as they left the city, leaving residents without heat, water, electricity or internet access (Picture: Shutterstock)

Reports also suggest Russia has looted over 15,000 works of art from the Kherson museum and even stole all the animals from the local zoo (Picture: Shutterstock)

Roman Golovyna, an adviser to the city’s local administration said: ‘Russian occupying forces and collaborators did everything possible to make those people who remained in the city suffer as much as possible during these days, weeks and months of waiting.’

‘We have been without water for a week,’ a local resident told Al-Jazeera. ‘And they say everything is mined. It is very scary.’

Residents have also accused the Russians of widespread looting since occupying the city, which has seen them pillage locals homes, steal more than 15,000 works of art from the Kherson museum and even kidnap the animals from the local zoo and allegedly ship them to Crimea.

And reports have surfaced of Russians blowing up dozens of schools across the province, further damaging the prospects of children who have already missed nine months of lessons.

In the nearby village of Mylove, Russians turned the local primary school and nursery into a military base, and detonated the building as they made their retreat in armoured vehicles.

Kherson’s regional governor, Yaroslav Yanushevych, said the authorities would maintain a strict curfew from 5pm to 8am and would be banning people from entering or leaving the city as they check the documents of local people and hunt for Russian soldiers who might have disguised themselves as civilians.

Mass graves were discovered in areas such as Bucha and Izyum following the Russian’s departure and there are fears similar sites are present in Kherson (Picture: Anastasia Taylor-Lind)

‘The enemy mined all critical infrastructure objects. We are trying to meet within a few days and [then] open the city,’ he told Ukrainian TV.

Mr Zelensky said detention of Russian soldiers and mercenaries ‘who were left behind in this territory and neutralisation of saboteurs are also ongoing’.

The president also warned Kherson residents about the presence of Russian mines.

‘I am asking you please not to forget that the situation in the Kherson region remains very dangerous,’ he said.

Since the start of the war, mass graves have been found in areas including Bucha, Izyum and Mariupol, and there are concerns the Russians may have committed similar atrocities in Kherson.

Kherson was the only regional capital to be captured by the Russians since the February invasion of Ukraine and was one of four territories declared ‘part of Russia’ by Vladimir Putin following an illegal annexation.

Mr Zelensky said the Ukrainian army’s spectacular counteroffensive would continue once the situation in Kherson had become more stable.

‘We will definitely reach our state border – all sections of the internationally recognised border of Ukraine,’ he said.

It is believed the next targets for the Ukrainian army include the southern city of Henichesk – named by Russia as its new administrative ‘capital’ for the Kherson region following their retreat from the area – and Melitopol.

The president’s comments also suggest the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Moscow in 2014, is considered an active military target.

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Retreating Russians destroyed all civilain infrastructure as they left Kherson, leaving residents without heat, electricity or water.