Ukraine lawyer shares visual of people who were killed in Chernihiv, buried in trenches

As the Russian-Ukraine war continues on the twelfth day, horrific images of civilian casualties have been surfacing on the internet. The director of Ukraine's Center for Civil Liberties, Oleksandra Matviichuk shared a picture on Twitter featuring a number of coffins buried in the Yalivshchyna forest. In the picture, seven coffins can be seen.

She shared the post on Twitter earlier today, stating, "Civilians killed in the Russian bombing of Chernihiv are buried in trenches. Since the main city cemetery in Yatsevo is under constant shelling by the Russian occupiers, the victims are buried in the Yalivshchyna forest. Eternal memory to victims of Russia." Another video was shared which showed individuals dragging a coffin slightly above the trench, as numerous coffins were buried inside it. Since the start of the war, casualties from both sides have been reported.

Chernihiv which has a population of less than 300,000, is in the northern part of Ukraine and it is in the path of a Russian invasion army on its way to Kyiv. The local report suggests that hundreds of residents have been killed as a result of shelling, missile attacks, air raids, and those who remain are taking shelter. Many of the civilians are attempting to flee. Chernihiv controls the highway from Belarus to Kyiv in the northeast, making it a strategic target for Russian forces. Russian planes attacked the city on Thursday, they struck an eight-story residential zone centred on a clinic and a school that had been transformed into a rest stop for Ukrainian troops.

1,123 civilian deaths since Russia's armed attack began

In the meanwhile, UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) reported 1,123 civilian deaths since Russia's armed attack began on February 24, according to UN News. However, the OHCHR also suggests that the real figures are considerably higher, especially in government-controlled territories. On Sunday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged for a pause in combat in Ukraine to allow people to flee battle zones, stating that a break in the continuous violence in Ukraine is critically necessary to allow for the safe exit of civilians from all combat zones, as well as the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid, such as the UN supplies that began arriving on Saturday.

Image: Twitter/@avalaina, AP