Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing international condemnation after of hundreds of bodies were reportedly found in towns outside Kyiv. 

Western nations are now moving to impose more sanctions on Russia in response to the evidence of possible executions. 

Ukrainian officials said that bodies of 410 civilians were found in towns that have now been recaptured from Russian forces with the Ukrainian president calling the discovery evidence of genocide. 

Europe must consider stepping up penalties for Moscow by boycotting its gas exports, Germany’s defence minister has said.

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern called reports of rape and other atrocities by Russian soldiers “beyond reprehensible”.

In Bucha, northwest of the capital, Associated Press journalists saw 21 bodies.

One group of nine, all in civilian clothes, were scattered around a site that residents said Russian troops used as a base.

Ukrainian officials blamed Russian soldiers, but Russia’s defence ministry said photos and videos of dead bodies “have been stage managed by the Kyiv regime for the western media”.

READ MORE: Homes for Ukraine scheme 'beset hazard and danger', charity warns amid trafficking fears

The ministry said “not a single civilian” in Bucha faced any violent military action and the mayor did not mention any abuses a day after Russian troops left.

In an intelligence update, the UK Ministry of Defence said Russian forces were refocusing their attacks on the eastern region of Donbas. 

The briefing added: "Russian troops, including mercenaries from the Russian state-linked Wagner private military company, are being moved into the area."

The head of Ukraine’s delegation in talks with Russia said Moscow’s negotiators informally agreed to most of a draft proposal discussed during talks in Turkey, but no written confirmation has been provided.

Russian demands include Ukraine declaring itself neutral and renouncing membership of military alliances.

Russian forces retreated from some areas around Kyiv after Moscow said it was focusing its offensive on the country’s east, where two regions are controlled by Russian-backed separatists.

Russian troops had rolled into Bucha in the early days of the invasion and stayed until March 30.

The reports of atrocities are severe enough that European officials “would have to talk about halting gas supplies from Russia”, German defence minister Christine Lambrecht said on public broadcaster ARD.

“Such crimes must not go unanswered.”

Europe gets 40% of its gas and 25% of its oil from Russia, while such sales are the Kremlin’s main source of export revenue.

Governments have been scrambling to find ways to reduce that reliance.

Estimates of the impact of a gas boycott on European countries vary but most involve a substantial loss of economic output.

For its part, Russia is temporarily enjoying a windfall as global prices surge due to anxiety over possible supply disruptions.