大象传媒

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, but Ukrainian forces retook large areas around the capital Kyiv in early April after Russia abandoned its push towards Kyiv. Following its withdrawal from the north of Ukraine, Russia has refocused its efforts on taking control of the east and south of the country.

大象传媒 correspondent Sarah Rainsford is in Kyiv and has been looking at the impact of Russian retreat away from the capital. She said that locals had discovered a shallow grave in the woods, and the authorities exhumed a body, that turned out to be a Russian soldier, possibly abandoned as his comrades retreated from the area of Kyiv. She says many more abandoned Russian soldiers have been discovered in the area. Ukraine says it has tried to contact Russian authorities about sending the bodies back, but so far, it seems that Russia does not want them and she thinks this implies that Russia is underplaying the true scale of its losses.

Photo: A damaged bridge in the recaptured city of Makariv, outside Kyiv Credit: EPA