Pope Francis has condemned the killing of civilians in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha by the Russian military and renewed his call for an end to the war in Ukraine, APA reports citing CNN.
Speaking at his Wednesday general audience at the Vatican, the Pope appealed for an end to the “atrocities” seen in Bucha, where the bodies of civilians were found strewn across the streets.
“Even more horrendous cruelties are occurring, even against civilians, women and children. They are victims whose innocent blood cries out to heaven and implores,” he said.
The Pope proceeded to unfurl a Ukrainian flag, which he said “came from the martyred city of Bucha,” and kiss it. The move was received with wide applause from the audience.
Francis then invited a group of about a dozen Ukrainian children, who are now refugees in Italy, to come up on the stage with him.
“These children had to flee, and have come to a strange land. This is one of the fruits of war. Let us not forget them, and let us not forget the Ukrainian people,” he said.
Francis also strongly criticized failures by international organizations to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.
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