On February 27, Russian troops captured the city of Butja, a few miles from Kyiv.

After fierce fighting with the Ukrainian military for a month, the Russian troops withdrew.

Russia justified the withdrawal by achieving the goal of central Ukraine.

On Sunday, for the first time since the fighting broke out, journalists were able to enter the previously besieged city and testify to the devastation.

Civilians were shot in the streets - some with their hands tied behind their backs, families were found shot in cars and tortured people have been found in basements.

According to witnesses, several of the dead have been shot at close range while fleeing.

Several mass graves have been found, including a 14-meter-long grave that has been excavated.

According to Butja's Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk, there are a total of 280 people in the mass graves.

No exact number has been confirmed.

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, at least 300 civilians have been killed in Butja.

During a visit to the city on Monday, he states: "This is genocide, and it will be considered genocide by the rest of the world."

Russia denies involvement

The Kremlin denies any involvement and claims that the bodies were placed on the streets after Russian troops left the city around March 30.

Russia's foreign minister calls the massacre a "staged provocation."

But satellite images from the American company Maxar Technologies show that several of the dead bodies were on the streets as early as March 11.

The satellite images have since also been compared with images from local politicians who filmed the same bodies on April 1.

Ukrainian intelligence has published a list of 2,000 names, dates of birth, passport numbers and rank of alleged perpetrators of war crimes against Ukrainians in Butja.

Strong reactions

Those in power around the world have reacted with dismay to the pictures from Butja.

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, was the first to condemn Russia's actions in Butja, calling it a massacre.

French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that Russia must be held accountable.

US President Joe Biden has announced that he wants to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to justice for war crimes.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced that the EU is ready to send war crimes investigators to Ukraine.

Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde (S) has commented on the pictures as: “Completely awful.

These images show an unparalleled cruelty. "

Several countries have also decided to expel Russian diplomats, including France, Germany and Denmark.

On Tuesday, Sweden also decided that three Russian diplomats will be deported.