Sickening mass graves found in Izyum

Liberated city of Izyum, Ukraine contains huge burial site filled with innocent

humans—evidence of torture clear on most exhumed bodies

by: Jaydin Gentile

In an unassuming, chilly pine forest within the city of Izyum the smell of death hangs

heavy in the air. Investigators uncover hundreds of graves, filled with bodies of all genders, ages,

and classes. Ukrainian soldiers, buried bravely in their camo and boots. A loyal and patriotic

Ukrainian woman, still wearing a blue and yellow bracelet around her decomposing wrist. A

man, with his arms bound behind his back and evidence of torture across his body.
 On September 11th, Ukrainian forces liberated the city of Izyum, a Russian strong-hold

since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February of 2022.

Making a frenzied withdrawal from the city of Izyum, Russian forces left behind a truck-

load of military grade weapons, tortured Ukrainian citizens, and hundreds of bodies in

rudimentary, occasionally marked, graves.

These bodies fill the mass graves that engulf the soft, sandy ground of the outskirts of the

city. More than 400 bodies have been found, some with gruesome evidence of torture. One man

was buried with a rope around his neck. Many have broken arms and legs. Ukrainian soldiers

were killed at close range and dumped in an atrocious mass grave.

Ten torture chambers have been found in the liberated city as well. Ukrainian citizens

accused of colluding against Russian forces were taken to the chambers—some have not been

heard from since their disappearance.

Investigators are disgusted and alarmed by the evidence they continue to uncover.

Ukrainian citizens have suffered more pain and injustice than anyone else could imagine.

The horrors do not end there; children are among those who were tortured and killed. The

shocking revelation of this information stuns and disgusts those exhuming the bodies. If children

cannot go unharmed and untortured, is there no massacre the Russian army cannot commit?

The abuse and torture these innocent citizens endured is an atrocity that will haunt Izyum

for many years. The discovery of the mass burial site haunts the rest of the country as well—as

Ukranian President Volodymr Zelenskyy asserts, Russia is terrorizing Ukraine in an extremist

fashion. The discovery of the mass burial site in Izyum only proves Zelenskyy’s statements; it

must be acknowledged that Russia has committed the grimmest level of war crimes. “Russia

leaves death everywhere,” Zelenskyy states.

 The war is far from over, and thousands of Ukrainians still suffer, without food, water, or

electricity. Some will endure the same fates as those who were recently exhumed.

"We understand that this war is far from over. We understand that we are standing up

against an enemy which is treacherous, which is genocidal, which is still well-equipped. We're

determined to continue what we're doing,” Zelenskyy proclaims. But the Ukrainian flag has

flown proudly and determinedly over the City Hall building in Izyum since September 13th.

No amount of fear and horror can silence the Ukrainian spirit.