"Recent news from the war in Ukraine, instead of bringing relief and hope, brought new atrocities, such as the massacre of Bucha," the pope said at the end of his weekly audience at the Vatican.
"Cruelty that is increasingly horrendous, even against civilians, defenceless women and children," he added, holding up a Ukrainian flag.
"They are victims whose innocent blood cries out up to heaven and implores: 'Stop this war! Let the weapons fall silent! Stop sowing death and destruction,'" he also said, as quoted by the Reuters news agency.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that invading Russian troops committed "the most
terrible war crimes" in his country since World War II.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Monday called for the establishment of an international committee to investigate what he called the crime of genocide committed by Russian forces in Ukraine.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday called for an international investigation into civilian deaths in Ukraine's Bucha.
Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said last month that prosecutors in Poland had collected more than 300 witness statements as part of an ongoing investigation into war crimes committed by the Russian invaders of Ukraine.
Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau told the United Nations in early March that Russia's authorities were showing contempt for human rights in their assault on Ukraine and its people.
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Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters