The scenes left in the Ukrainian town of Bucha after the withdrawal of Russian troops are drawing widespread condemnation from world leaders.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the killings were "a brutality against civilians we haven't seen in Europe for decades."

"It's horrific and it's absolutely unacceptable that civilians are targeted and killed," he told CNN.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said that "indiscriminate attacks" by against Ukrainian civilians in towns such as Bucha and Irpin should be investigated as war crimes.

"We will not allow Russia to cover up their involvement in these atrocities through cynical disinformation and will ensure that the reality of Russia's actions are brought to light," she said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the images from Bucha as a "punch to the gut".

"This is the reality of what's going on every single day as long as Russia's brutality against Ukraine continues," he told CNN.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who has spoken frequently with President Putin since the beginning of the conflict, called the pictures "unbearable".

He said that the "Russian authorities will have to answer for these crimes".

Speaking to the Bild newspaper, German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck called the killings a "terrible war crime cannot go unanswered".

"I think that a strengthening of sanctions is called for," he added.

Writing on Twitter, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: "Appalled by reports of unspeakable horrors in areas from which Russia is withdrawing.

"An independent investigation is urgently needed. Perpetrators of war crimes will be held accountable."

Ukrainian Defense Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Russia was aiming "to eliminate as many Ukrainians as they can".

He called on G7 nations to impose further sanctions to target Russia's oil, gas, and coal industries, goods exports, and financial sector.

BBC