Astronaut Scott Kelly arrives in Ukraine, visits Bucha mass graves

Astronaut Scott Kelly arrived in Kyiv on Sunday to support Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion, visiting a suburb of the capital that has become synonymous with Moscow’s atrocities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky named Kelly, the twin brother of Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), as an ambassador of Ukraine’s United24 fundraising campaign late last month.

Scott Kelly has been an outspoken critic of Russia since its invasion, which comes seven years after he participated in a joint U.S.-Russia mission to the International Space Station that lasted for nearly a year.

“Arrived in Kyiv this morning to see for myself the atrocities committed by Russia and the support necessary for Ukraine,” Kelly tweeted.

Zelensky had tasked Kelly with heading the fundraising platform’s medical assistance initiative, beginning with fundraising for ambulances to replace those destroyed in the war.

The retired U.S. Navy captain and astronaut visited the city of Bucha, which is located in the suburbs of Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital.

Russia had controlled the city in the early days of the war. After Russian troops retreated in April, observers found bodies strewn across streets and mass graves.

“The depravity of Russian destruction has no bounds,” Kelly wrote in a tweet along with photos of his visit.

The depravity of Russian destruction has no bounds. https://t.co/m1qrjKe0sl

— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) November 27, 2022

President Biden and European leaders have accused Russia of committing war crimes in Bucha and elsewhere as the war enters its tenth month.

In the weeks before winter, Russia has launched a barrage of missiles targeting critical infrastructure in cities across Ukraine, at times leading to massive blackouts and leaving residents with no heat or water.

But Ukraine’s military has proven resilient, achieving key victories in the southern city of Kherson and other occupied territory Russia claimed to annex.