Pope Francis addressed the "savagery" of Russia’s war on the "noble" people of Ukraine.
Speaking during his Wednesday general audience, Francis said he had spoken to Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who was delivering aid in Ukraine.
"He told me about the pain of this people, the savagery, the monstrosities, the tortured corpses they find," the Pope said. "Let us unite ourselves to this people who are so noble and martyred."
Francis said Krajewski was in Ukraine "for the fourth time" and was "helping in the area of Odesa and bringing closeness."
Vatican media said Krajewski needed to run and take cover after coming under light gunfire last week while delivering aid with a Catholic bishop, a Protestant bishop, and a Ukrainian soldier, the Independent reported.
The Cardinal also visited mass graves outside Izium, in northeast Ukraine.
It was reported Tuesday that U.S. officials were alerted to the mass graves discovered in Izium after Russian military forces were pushed out of the city, and how Ukrainian officials are characterizing the post-conflict situation as "worse" than the Bucha killings from April.
According to U.S. officials, more than 440 bodies — including civilians and children — have been located in Izium; and police found a "mass grave" comprising the bodies of 17 Ukrainian soldiers.
The Pope began his Wednesday comments by mentioning his trip last week to Kazakhstan for the Seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.
"Kazakhstan has made very positive choices, such as saying no to nuclear weapons and making good energy and environmental policies," Francis said. "This was courageous. At a time when this tragic war brings us to the point where some people are thinking of nuclear weapons, that madness, this country says no to nuclear weapons from the very beginning."
He spoke just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of reservists in Russia, in a measure that appeared to be an admission that Moscow's war against Ukraine isn't going according to plan after nearly seven months of fighting.
Putin also warned the West that he isn't bluffing over using all the means at his disposal to protect Russia's territory, in what appeared to be a veiled reference to his country’s nuclear capability.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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