London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Dec 27, 2025

Ukraine war: Boris Johnson condemns Russia's 'despicable' civilian attacks

Ukraine war: Boris Johnson condemns Russia's 'despicable' civilian attacks

Russia's "despicable attacks" on innocent Ukrainian civilians in Bucha and Irpin are "yet more evidence" of war crimes, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.

He described Russian President Vladimir Putin as desperate amid his "failing invasion" - and said the UK would step up sanctions and military support.

The BBC's Jeremy Bowen said at least 20 dead men, some with their wrists tied, were found on the streets of Bucha.

Russia has denied targeting civilians.

Ukraine says its forces have retaken the entire region around its capital, Kyiv.

But, as Russian troops have retreated from key towns, the toll of weeks of fierce fighting has been exposed.

Flattened civilian cars on the streets of Bucha


Authorities in Ukraine have found what "looks exactly like war crimes" including the bodies of executed civilians and mass graves, a spokesman for Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Sergey Nikiforov told the BBC's Sunday Morning show: "We found people with their hands and with their legs tied up... and with shots, bullet holes, in the back of their head.

"They were clearly civilians and they were executed. We found half-burned bodies as if somebody tried to hide their crimes but they didn't have enough time to do it properly."

In a statement, Mr Johnson said: "No denial or disinformation from the Kremlin can hide what we all know to be the truth - Putin is desperate, his invasion is failing, and Ukraine's resolve has never been stronger."

He said the UK would not rest until justice had been served, as he confrimed extra funding and the deployment of specialist investigators to assist the International Criminal Court's investigation.

He also said the government would increase humanitarian support for Ukraine.

Earlier, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss insisted Russia must not be allowed to cover up "appalling acts" in Bucha and Irpin with "cynical disinformation".

The UK-led effort to expedite and support the International Criminal Court's investigation into war crimes in Ukraine was "the largest state referral in its history", she said.

She added that it was essential the international community continued to provide Ukraine with military and humanitarian support - and step up sanctions.

Other nations have also condemned Russian forces' actions. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the images of bodies in the streets of Bucha as a "punch in the gut".

EU chief Charles Michel pledged further sanctions on Moscow. "Shocked by haunting images of atrocities committed by Russian army in Kyiv liberated region #BuchaMassacre," the European Council head wrote on Twitter.

Germany's foreign minister Annalena Baerbock denounced President Putin's "uninhibited violence", saying Russia must pay for its "war crimes" in Bucha in the form of more severe sanctions.


Watch: Serge Nykyforov, spokesman for President Zelensky, describes scene at mass graves

WATCH: BBC's Jeremy Bowen on the destruction wreaked in Bucha, near Kyiv


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Apple Moves to Appeal UK Ruling Ordering £1.5 Billion in Customer Overcharge Damages
King Charles’s 2025 Christmas Message Tops UK Television Ratings on Christmas Day
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Join Royal Family at Sandringham Christmas Service
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
UK Mortgage Rates Edge Lower as Bank of England Base Rate Cut Filters Through Lending Market
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hong Kong Climbs to Second Globally in 2025 Tourism Rankings Behind Bangkok
From Sunniest Year on Record to Terror Plots and Sports Triumphs: The UK’s Defining Stories of 2025
Greta Thunberg Released on Bail After Arrest at London Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
Banksy Unveils New Winter Mural in London Amid Festive Season Excitement
UK Households Face Rising Financial Strain as Tax Increases Bite and Growth Loses Momentum
UK Government Approves Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedford Poised to Rival Disneyland Paris
UK Gambling Shares Slide as Traders Respond to Steep Tax Rises and Sector Uncertainty
Starmer and Trump Coordinate on Ukraine Peace Efforts in Latest Diplomatic Call
The Pilot Barricaded Himself in the Cockpit and Refused to Take Off: "We Are Not Leaving Until I Receive My Salary"
UK Fashion Label LK Bennett Pursues Accelerated Sale Amid Financial Struggles
U.S. Government Warns UK Over Free Speech in Pro-Life Campaigner Prosecution
Newly Released Files Shed Light on Jeffrey Epstein’s Extensive Links to the United Kingdom
Prince William and Prince George Volunteer Together at UK Homelessness Charity
UK Police Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’ as Authorities Recalibrate Free Speech Enforcement
Scambodia: The World Owes Thailand’s Military a Profound Debt of Gratitude
Women in Partial Nudity — and Bill Clinton in a Dress and Heels: The Images Revealed in the “Epstein Files”
US Envoy Witkoff to Convene Security Advisers from Ukraine, UK, France and Germany in Miami as Peace Efforts Intensify
UK Retailers Report Sharp Pre-Christmas Sales Decline and Weak Outlook, CBI Survey Shows
UK Government Rejects Use of Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Aid for Ukraine
UK Financial Conduct Authority Opens Formal Investigation into WH Smith After Accounting Errors
UK Issues Final Ultimatum to Roman Abramovich Over £2.5bn Chelsea Sale Funds for Ukraine
Rare Pink Fog Sweeps Across Parts of the UK as Met Office Warns of Poor Visibility
UK Police Pledge ‘More Assertive’ Enforcement to Tackle Antisemitism at Protests
UK Police Warn They Will Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’
Trump Files $10 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against BBC as Broadcaster Pledges Legal Defence
UK Says U.S. Tech Deal Talks Still Active Despite Washington’s Suspension of Prosperity Pact
UK Mortgage Rules to Give Greater Flexibility to Borrowers With Irregular Incomes
UK Treasury Moves to Position Britain as Leading Global Hub for Crypto Firms
U.S. Freezes £31 Billion Tech Prosperity Deal With Britain Amid Trade Dispute
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Potential UK Return Gains New Momentum Amid Security Review and Royal Dialogue
Zelensky Opens High-Stakes Peace Talks in Berlin with Trump Envoy and European Leaders
Historical Reflections on Press Freedom Emerge Amid Debate Over Trump’s Media Policies
UK Boosts Protection for Jewish Communities After Sydney Hanukkah Attack
UK Government Declines to Comment After ICC Prosecutor Alleges Britain Threatened to Defund Court Over Israel Arrest Warrant
Apple Shutters All Retail Stores in the United Kingdom Under New National COVID-19 Lockdown
US–UK Technology Partnership Strains as Key Trade Disagreements Emerge
UK Police Confirm No Further Action Over Allegation That Andrew Asked Bodyguard to Investigate Virginia Giuffre
Giuffre Family Expresses Deep Disappointment as UK Police Decline New Inquiry Into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Claims
Transatlantic Trade Ambitions Hit a Snag as UK–US Deal Faces Emerging Challenges
Ex-ICC Prosecutor Alleges UK Threatened to Withdraw Funding Over Netanyahu Arrest Warrant Bid
UK Disciplinary Tribunal Clears Carter-Ruck Lawyer of Misconduct in OneCoin Case
×