Ukraine envoy invites pope to Bucha

Ukraine's envoy to the Vatican Andrii Yurash on Tuesday invited Pope Francis to Bucha near Kyiv to see for himself the evidence of alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

In an interview with ANSA Yurash said a papal visit was still being negotiated but the Ukrainian authorities would expect the pope to "travel to where the innocent victims lie, massacred by the Russian army at Bucha, just 15km from Kyiv where some 1,400 victims have been found".

He said "the Ukraine side will certainly propose that the pontiff will come" to see this evidence, which Moscow denies, saying the scenes of slain civilians were staged by Kyiv.

Yurash said Kyiv would like Francis to pray at the graves of the innocent victims of alleged Russian atrocities.