Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russian forces of committing "genocide" near the capital, Kyiv. Russia denied the allegations.

President Zelenskyy told CBS News on Sunday that the killing of many people near Kyiv is "genocide" aimed at eliminating "the whole nation and the people."

What are believed to be the bodies of civilians were found when reporters from Reuters and other journalists entered the town of Bucha, northwest of Kyiv, after Russian forces withdrew.

Bucha's mayor told Reuters on Saturday that more than 300 town residents had been killed. The mayor said corpses of executed people still line a street, with their hands tied behind their backs, and shot in the back of their heads.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken referred to AFP images from Bucha, showing corpses strewn across a street.

Blinken said, "You can't help but see these images as a punch to the gut." He added, "We can't become numb to this. We can't normalize this."

Blinken said "This is the reality that's going on every single day as long as Russia's brutality against Ukraine continues."

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday that all the photos and videos published by Ukraine "allegedly testifying to some 'crimes' committed by Russian servicemen in Bucha" are "just another provocation."

The ministry was adamant that no resident suffered violence and locals were moving freely when the town was under the control of Russian forces.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, "Russia's despicable attacks against innocent civilians in Irpin and Bucha are yet more evidence that Putin and his army are committing war crimes in Ukraine."

The images of the apparent civilian bodies were taken as Russian forces are withdrawing from near Kyiv in the face of stiff resistance from Ukrainian troops.

Ukraine's deputy defense minister declared on Saturday that the country retook the Kyiv region from Russian forces. The region includes the capital.

The images that appear to indicate what happened while the Russian troops were there have triggered international condemnation as Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to continue their ceasefire talks on Monday.