A bizarre graveyard in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv has appeared that is tragic proof of destruction caused by war.
The graveyard contains more than a thousand dead Russian rockets. It is there to convince prosecutors to invoke international criminal law against Russian troops, according to multiple media reports on Saturday.
“These are pieces of evidence that an International Criminal Court [ICC] would use,” said Dmytro Chubenko, spokesman for the Kharkiv region’s Prosecutor Office.
The photographs were taken in December. They exhibit a collection of rocket shells and missile fragments that were used by the Russian army to strike Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials are optimistic that this evidence can help in any prosecution cases involving Russian officials and the military.
The region has been left with no electricity after the latest attacks on Friday targeting energy installations in the country.
These missiles targeted a massive amount of residential areas, including North Saltivka and Oleksiivka. The authorities estimate that at least 1,700 people, including 44 children, were killed by shelling in Kharkiv and its surroundings.
Anna, who chose not to disclose her last name for security reasons fled the region months ago, said, “we have lost everything, and it is not clear at all what we can expect in the future.” Euronews reported quoting the former resident of North Saltivka on Friday.
“There is no heating in my house, [and] unfortunately, there won’t be until the end of the winter,” said Ihor Deshpetko, 44, who still lives in Kharkiv.
“I don’t know what will happen next,” he said. “Maybe we will make a museum.”
In the meantime, the Dutch government has announced fresh aid for Ukraine.
“As long as Russia continues its war against Ukraine, NL will provide assistance to Ukraine. Military, humanitarian and diplomatic,” Tweeted Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
“We’re allocating €2.5 bn for this in 2023. Ukraine can rely on the Netherlands. We just confirmed this in our conversation with @ZelenskyyUa.”
“We endured at the beginning of the war – we withstood attacks, threats, nuclear blackmail, terror, missile strikes,” Zelenskyy said in the video address on the eve of Christmas.
“We will endure this winter because we know what we are fighting for.”