Russian forces pound key Ukraine cities, Ukraine demands tougher sanctions

Artillery pounded key cities in Ukraine on Wednesday, as its president urged the West to act decisively in imposing new and tougher sanctions being readied against Russia in response to civilian killings widely condemned as war crimes.   

Western sanctions over Russia’s invasion have gained new impetus this week after dead civilians shot at close range were found in the town of Bucha after it was retaken from Russian forces.   

As Pope Francis described the killings there as a “massacre”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the West needed to act decisively in taking “more rigid” steps.   

“When we are hearing new rhetoric about sanctions... I can’t tolerate any indecisiveness after everything that Russian troops have done,” Zelenskiy told Irish lawmakers by videolink.   

The European Commission signalled further sanctions - including examining energy imports - on top of ones unveiled by the bloc on Tuesday.   

But a crack in a unified EU front emerged on Wednesday, as Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban said his government was prepared to accede to Russia’s demand, rejected by Brussels, to pay in roubles for Russian gas.   
Ukrainian officials say a mass grave by a church contains between 150 and 300 bodies.   
Moscow, which refers to the conflict as a “special military operation” designed to demilitarise Ukraine, denied targeting civilians there or elsewhere and called the evidence presented a forgery staged by the West to discredit it. 
Ukraine/DUBLIN, April 6 (Reuters)