Ukraine is being "martyred" says Pope Francis as he condemned "savageness, monstrosities and torture" of Russia's war on Ukraine.
After giving a general audience in St Peter's Square he told how his charity boss who is providing aid aid to the invaded country had to run for his life and seek shelter after heavy Russian gunfire.
Cardinal Konrad Krajewski had to escape bullets while on a humanitarian mission to Ukraine where he also provided pastoral care.
He was sending vital supplies to a Catholic bishop, a Protestant bishop, and a Ukrainian soldier.
Pope Francis spoke with the cardinal yesterday and had seen for himself the mass graves of Ukrainians outside the city if Izyum, in the north east of the country.
The Pope was moved by their deaths and the horrific treatment they had endured.
He said: "He (Krajewski) told me of the pain of these people, the savage acts, the monstrosity, the tortured bodies they find.
"Let us unite with these people, so noble, and martyred."
Hundreds of bodies, some of whom had their hands tied behind their backs were found buried in a recaptured territory which was under Russian occupation.
Izyum was recaptured from Russian forces and bodies found in what President Volodymyr Zelensky called proof of war crimes.
The Kremlin has denied consistently its soldiers have carried out war crimes since troops invaded the war-torn country in February.
It rejected allegations of such abuses in Kharkiv region on Monday and described them as a 'lie'.
Among the 111 civilian bodies exhumed so far, four have indicated torture signs Serhiy Bolvinov, the head of investigative police said at the burial ground.
During the war, Pope has been blasted or not criticising Russia and suggesting the Russian invasion was "in some way provoked".
Putin has since escalated the war and ordered partial mobilisation of troops in addition to threatening to use nuclear weapons.
He promised to use "all means" to defend the area.
The Russian president said: "If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will use all available means to protect Russia and our people - this is not a bluff... I shall stress - by all means available to us.
"Those trying to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the tables can turn on them."
Ukraine forced a large part of the Russian army to retreat leaving Putin's forces backed into a corner.
He is now facing the possible collapse of his 'special military operation' and began threatening to use nuclear weapons.
And has chosen to double down and hold the world to ransom with Russia's nuclear arsenal which he has threatened to use against Ukraine and its allies.
But Ukraine's allies have promised not to accept the results of 'sham' referendums or to stop liberating occupied territory.
