Biden Calls Putin A War Criminal

On Thursday, international indignation over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine intensified when US and Ukrainian authorities alleged Russian soldiers murdered people waiting in line for bread and hiding in a theatre.

In remarks, Russian actions have been described as “unforgivable”. US President Joe Biden referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin as a war criminal, as the Kremlin asserted the conflict in Ukraine was “going according to plan” amid rumours of peace negotiations.

Despite the greatest attack on a European state since World War II, Moscow has yet to conquer any of Ukraine’s major cities. As the battle enters its fourth week, over 3 million Ukrainians have fled and hundreds have died.

At least one person was killed and three others were injured after a downed Russian missile affected a residential building in Kyiv, as per emergency services.

According to Ukraine’s foreign ministry, Russian forces dropped a large bomb on a theatre in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol on Wednesday, trapping many civilians and killing an unknown number of people.

Maxar Technologies, a private US firm, released satellite data from March 14 that revealed the word “children” inscribed in huge Russian lettering on the ground outside the red-roofed structure.

According to Human Rights Watch, the theatre housed at least 500 civilians.

“This raises major concerns about the intended target in a city where inhabitants have already been under siege for days and telecommunications, power, water, and heating have been cut off nearly entirely,” said Belkis Wille of the rights organisation.

According to the Russian news agency RIA, Moscow denies targeting people and the Russian defence ministry says its soldiers did not strike the structure.

Thirteen buses transporting over 300 Mariupol refugees landed in Russia’s Rostov area on Thursday, according to the Russian defence ministry, as reported by Russia’s Interfax news agency.

According to the US Embassy in Kyiv, Russian soldiers shot and killed ten individuals in Chernihiv, northeast of Kyiv, who were standing in line for bread. Russia has denied the strike, claiming it was a fabrication.