Ukraine accuses Russia of killing several women and burning their bodies

Ukraine accuses Russia of killing several women and burning their bodies

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence says it found the naked bodies of “four to five” women on a highway 20km (12 miles) outside of Kyiv.

In a Twitter update, it posted a picture of a blanket-covered mound and said the Russian “barbarians” had tried to burn the bodies on the side of the road.

Al Jazeera could not verify the claim independently.

Ukraine army

The general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces says the intensity of Russian air and missile strikes “has decreased” as Moscow continues to withdraw units through the north of Ukraine.

In a Facebook post, the general staff also said retreating Russian forces were deploying mines on roads and in some settlements.

Russian air power is shifting to southeastern Ukraine, British ministry says

Russian air activity has increased over southeastern Ukraine in the past week as invading forces shift their efforts to that part of the country, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said in its daily intelligence update.

However, Ukrainian anti-air capabilities still pose a “significant” challenge to Russian warplanes and helicopters, which have been unable to locate and destroy Ukrainian air defense units, the ministry said Friday night.

“Russia’s inability to find and destroy air defence systems has seriously hampered their efforts to gain broad control of the air,” the ministry said, “which in turn has significantly affected their ability to support the advance of their ground forces on a number of fronts.”

The southeastern part of Ukraine would include the port city of Mariupol, which has been largely destroyed by Russian siege.

Russian ground forces attacking in the north have been pushed back from the capital Kyiv over the last week.