Moscow, Europe Brief News – The International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor launched an investigation into alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Ukraine has earlier Russia of targeting and bombing civilians.
It came after 39 nations called for an inquiry to be opened.
Cities including the capital Kyiv, Kharkiv and Kherson have come under heavy shelling in recent days.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has already accused Moscow of war crimes, after it launched air strikes on the country’s second city of Kharkiv, killing civilians.
On Wednesday, the mayor of Kherson said Russian forces had seized control of the key port – the first major city taken by Moscow since it invaded a week ago.
The overall death toll from the seven-day war is not clear. Neither Russia nor Ukraine has released the number of troops lost.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said more than 2,000 civilians have died, though it was impossible to verify that claim.
The UN human rights office has tallied 136 civilian deaths, while acknowledging the actual toll is surely far higher.
Roughly 874,000 people have fled Ukraine, and the UN refugee agency warned the number could cross the 1 million mark soon. Countless others have taken shelter underground.
Nearly 875,000 people have fled Ukraine since Russia’s attack less than a week ago, according to the UN.
The UN has also warned that 4 million could leave the country in the coming weeks and months.
More than half (454,000) have fled to Poland, while 116,000 have gone to Hungary, 67,000 to Slovakia, 45,000 to Romania and 79,000 to non-EU Moldova, Europe’s poorest country.
