Russia’s forces are responsible for killing thousands of Ukrainian civilians since invading the country in February, senior U.S. officials said Friday, as the United States prepared to announce new sanctions on Moscow.
U.S. officials did not provide an exact number for how many civilians may have been killed by Russian forces since the invasion began on Feb. 24, saying the ongoing conflict has made it difficult to tally the toll.
But the number is likely “well in the thousands,” one senior official said, and may even be “significantly higher.”
The officials declined to provide more specifics about where or how the civilians had been killed, saying the information was still being gathered.
The officials also said that the number of Ukrainian civilians who have been killed does not include the number of Ukrainian soldiers who have died in the fighting.
Russia has denied targeting civilians, and has accused Ukraine of fabricating reports of Russian atrocities.
The new U.S. sanctions are expected to target Russian banks and other financial institutions, as well as individuals close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The sanctions are intended to further isolate Russia from the global economy and increase pressure on Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
The U.S. has already imposed a number of sanctions on Russia, including freezing the assets of the Russian central bank and banning the import of Russian oil and gas.
The new sanctions are expected to be announced later Friday by the U.S. Treasury Department and the State Department.
The U.S. is also working with its allies to provide Ukraine with additional military and economic assistance.
President Biden has said that the U.S. will continue to support Ukraine “for as long as it takes” to defeat Russia.
The war in Ukraine has caused a humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced and in need of food, water, and shelter.
The U.N. has estimated that more than 10 million people have been displaced within Ukraine, and more than 3 million have fled to neighboring countries.
The U.S. and its allies have provided billions of dollars in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and have called on Russia to allow humanitarian corridors to be established so that aid can reach those in need.
The U.S. has also accused Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine, including the indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas and the targeting of hospitals and schools.
The International Criminal Court has opened an investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine, and the U.S. has said it will support the investigation and hold those responsible accountable..
