99% of bodies found in forest near Izium show signs of violent death – governor

In the recaptured city of Izium, Kharkiv region, law enforcers started the exhumation of 450 bodies of civilians found in a forest strip. 99% of the bodies showed signs of violent death.

Oleh Syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, said in a Telegram post.

"The scale of the crimes committed by the occupiers in Izium is enormous. This is bloody brutal terror. Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol… Izium. This is the genocide of the Ukrainian people. 450 bodies of civilians with traces of violent death and torture were buried in a forest strip. Today the law enforces started the exhumation. It is difficult to imagine such a thing in the 21st century, but now it is Izium's tragic reality. Most of the graves don't even have names on them. There is only a mark with a number. Among the bodies that were exhumed today, 99% showed signs of violent death. There are several bodies with their hands tied behind their backs, and one person is buried with a rope around his neck. Obviously, these people were tortured and executed. There are also children among the buried," Syniehubov said.

According to him, the bodies will be sent for forensic examination to determine the exact cause of death.

"After the identification of victims, all of them will be buried with due respect. Every death will be investigated and will become evidence of Russia's war crimes in international courts," he added.

As reported, a mass grave was found in the forest near the recaptured city of Izium, Kharkiv region, where more than 400 bodies were buried.