Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Russian troops were leaving mines everywhere as they retreated from Kyiv and surrounding areas. The Russian forces also left behind a trail of slain civilians.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy (Photo: File)
Even though Russian troops are retreating from Ukraine’s capital region, the area remains unsafe as a result of the mines being left behind, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday.
Mines have been left around homes, abandoned equipment and “even the bodies of those killed”, creating a “catastrophic” situation for civilians, President Zelenskyy said.
“It’s still not possible to return to normal life, as it used to be, even in the territories that we are taking back after the fighting. We need to wait until our land is demined, wait till we are able to assure you that there won’t be new shelling,” he said in his nightly video address.
Chernihiv Governor Viacheslav Chaus also accused Russian troops of planting mines as they retreated. “There are a lot of mines. They [the villages] are strewn with them,” he said.
BODIES LEFT BEHIND
Mines are not the only thing the retreating Russian troops seem to be leaving behind in the areas around Kyiv.
(Reuters)
Dead civilians still lay scattered in the streets of Bucha as of Saturday, Reuters reported. Residents said they had been killed by Russian troops during their month-long occupation.
RUSSIAN RETREAT
Ukraine has reclaimed several areas near Kyiv after forcing Russian troops out, officials have said. Both Ukraine and its Western allies have reported evidence of Russia withdrawing from the area around Kyiv and building up its strength in the eastern part of the nation.
Russia announced earlier this week that it would scale down its operations around the capital and in the northern region of Chernihiv to focus on battles in the east.
“In the north of our country, the invaders are leaving. It is slow but noticeable. In some places they are being kicked out with fighting. Elsewhere they’re abandoning the positions themselves,” Zelenskyy said on Saturday.
(With inputs from agencies)