Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called the Russian military “killers, executioners, rapists, marauders who call themselves an army” and accused them of carrying out “a genocide” as reports emerged of hundreds of bodies found in Ukrainian towns before they were liberated, including Bucha near Kyiv.

In his latest address, Mr Zelenskyy said: “To talk about the discoveries in Bucha and our other cities from where the occupiers were expelled. Hundreds of people killed, tortured, executed civilians. Bodies on the streets. Booby-trapped area. Even the bodies of the dead are booby-trapped. Widespread aftermath of looting.

“Concentrated evil has visited our land. The killers, executioners, rapists, marauders who call themselves an army – and who deserve only death after what they’ve done.”

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Images emerged on Sunday of Ukrainian civilians lying on the streets of Bucha with witnesses saying the victims were killed by Russian forces without any apparent provocation.

Bucha’s mayor, Anatoly Fedoruk, said more than 300 residents had been killed.

Sky News verified and confirmed the location of two videos showing bodies on the streets of Bucha, including one where at least seven bodies are seen on the road and on the pavement, while satellite images from Maxar appear to show a mass grave in the town on 31 March.

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Ukrainian prosecutors investigating possible war crimes by Russia said they have found 410 bodies in towns near Kyiv and 140 of them had been examined.

Some of the victims had their hands tied and were shot in the back of the head, Ukrainian authorities said.

Ukrainian officials laid the blame for the killings squarely at the feet of Russian troops, with Mr Zelenskky calling them evidence of “a genocide”.

But Russia’s Defence Ministry rejected the accusations of atrocities against civilians in Bucha and other suburbs of Kyiv, claiming they were a “provocation”.

Western officials have condemned the reports and vowed to work with Ukraine and the International Criminal Court to “ensure those responsible are convicted”.

Human Rights Watch said on Sunday that it has documented “apparent war crimes” committed by Russian forces against civilians in Ukraine.

It said it had found “several cases” of war violations in Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Kyiv, including cases of “rape, murder and other violent acts against people in the Russian forces’ custody”.

UN Security Council to meet on Tuesday

Mr Zelenskyy has called on former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former French president Nicolas Sarkozy to visit Bucha and “see what the policy of concessions to Russia has led to in 14 years”.

The United Nations Security Council is expected to meet on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Ukraine, where, according to Mr Zelenskyy, Russia’s alleged war crimes will be discussed.

Meanwhile, the South Asian news agency ANI is reporting that Russia’s first deputy envoy to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, has requested a meeting with the council today.

Mr Polyansky called for the meeting after the “blatant provocation by Ukrainian radicals in Bucha” and said Moscow will expose “the Ukrainian instigators and their Western patrons”.

Key developments:

Shocked by haunting images of atrocities committed by Russian army in Kyiv liberated region #BuchaMassacre

EU is assisting #Ukraine & NGO’s in gathering of necessary evidence for pursuit in international courts.

Further EU sanctions & support are on their way.

Слава Україні!

PM calls on tougher NATO response

Boris Johnson has condemned Russia’s “despicable attacks” on civilians, adding the UK is “stepping up” its sanctions and military support.

The prime minister will also seek to galvanise a tougher response from Western allies, including NATO members, against Russia.

On its 73rd anniversary today, Boris Johnson will hail NATO as the “greatest security alliance in the history of the world” – adding that it has a responsibility to support the Ukrainian people as they fight for freedom with “every fibre of their being”.

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Representatives from the Polish and German governments will visit and meet Mr Johnson at Downing Street this week to discuss NATO and how to support Russia.

Meanwhile, the European Council’s President Charles Michel said the European Union is preparing further sanctions following the actions of Russian forces in Bucha.

“Shocked by haunting images of atrocities committed by the Russian army in Kyiv liberated region,” Mr Michel said on Twitter on Sunday. “Further EU sanctions & support are on their way. EU is assisting Ukraine & NGOs in gathering of the necessary evidence for pursuit in international courts.”

During his latest address, Mr Zelenskyy alluded to the sanctions, saying “there will be a new package” of sanctions against Russia but said “that’s not enough” and “more conclusions are needed”.

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Mr Zelenskyy also appeared in a video message at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, contrasting the lives of those attending the award ceremony in Las Vegas with the lives of musicians in his battered homeland.

“Our musicians wear body armour instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals, even to those who can’t hear them,” he said. “But the music will break through anyway.”

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