Montana Sen. Steve Daines visited the mass grave sites in Bucha, Ukraine along with Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz, who was born in Nosivka, Ukraine, as the two Republicans became the first U.S. officials to visit the country since the Russian invasion began.
Daines issued a statement following his visit, as he called out Russian President Vladimir Putin for the damage he has done to Ukraine.
"While meeting with leaders in NATO countries bordering Ukraine, I was invited to meet Ukrainian officials in Kyiv and Bucha and see firsthand the butchery and war crimes committed by Putin," Daines said in the statement, per NBC Montana. "There is indisputable evidence of Putin’s war crimes everywhere—the images of shallow mass graves filled with civilians, women and children are heart wrenching."
"America and the world need to know about Putin’s atrocities against the innocent people of Ukraine now, not after time has passed and the aftermath of evil and bloodshed have been cleaned up. The sooner we can provide Ukraine with the lethal aid they need to win this war, the sooner we will end the war crimes."
Images of bodies around the Bucha and Kyiv areas began to circulate online in the beginning of April, and there was reportedly 410 bodies of civilians removed from the area, according to NBC News.
Daines spoke on Fox News' "Your World with Neil Cavuto" on Thursday, and said he's "never seen anything like" what has happened in Ukraine with the amount of dead civilians.
"I've seen a lot of horrific things over the years in terms of storm damages and accidents," Daines said. "I've never seen anything like this. I mean, these were children. These were children who were murdered."
He reinforced the point that Putin and his soldiers have committed war crimes, despite the denials from Russian government.
"It's atrocities. It's war crimes… there's an irrefutable case being made right now for the war crimes of Vladimir Putin and the soldiers who committed them," Daines said.
Daines added his in statement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky needs other leaders to step up and support the country during this time.
"President Zelenskyy has been urging leaders from around the world to come to Ukraine — I'm proud to help show that America stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom," Daines said in the statement.
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