Pope Francis condemns Bucha 'massacre' and rips United Nations response to Russian 'atrocities'

Pope Francis condemned the "the massacre of Bucha" and kissed a Ukrainian flag that came from the town here civilians were shot down and their bodies left in the streets.

The pope on Wednesday held up the flag, which he said was sent to him the day before from the "martyred city," and kissed it before an audience of several thousand worshipers at the Vatican, reported Reuters.

"Recent news from the war in Ukraine, instead of bringing relief and hope, brought new atrocities, such as the massacre of Bucha," Francis said toward the end of his weekly audience.

After kissing the flag, Francis asked a group of children war refugees to come to him.

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"These children had to flee in order to arrive in a safe land, this is the fruit of war," he said, before giving each child a chocolate Easter egg. "Let's not forget them and let's not forget the Ukrainian people."

Earlier in his audience, the pope criticized the United Nations response to Russian invasion.

"In the war in Ukraine, we are witnessing the impotency of the United Nations," he said.