By Jelili Gbadamosi
Russia has presented China with a report challenging Ukraine’s account of the 2022 Bucha massacre, renewing Moscow’s efforts to dispute allegations of atrocities committed by Russian troops during the invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov handed the document to his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on Wednesday during a meeting on the sidelines of the seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The report, titled “Goebbels’ Heirs: The Falsification of Events in Bucha and the Kiev Regime’s Bloody Staged Provocations,” was prepared by the International Public Tribunal, chaired by Maxim Grigoryev, a member of Russia’s Civic Chamber.
According to Moscow, the document challenges what it describes as fabricated allegations circulated by Ukraine regarding the killings in Bucha.
The presentation comes as Russia and China continue to strengthen their bilateral relationship and coordinate positions on international issues through platforms including the United Nations, the G20, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
The Bucha massacre occurred in March 2022, following the withdrawal of Russian forces from the Ukrainian town during the early stages of the invasion.
Ukrainian authorities reported recovering 458 bodies in Bucha, including 419 people who died from violent injuries or gunshot wounds. The killings prompted international condemnation and calls for investigations into possible war crimes.
The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine attributed at least 73 civilian deaths in Bucha to summary executions or targeted killings during the Russian occupation, while continuing to verify other cases.
Investigations and eyewitness accounts have documented allegations of executions, torture and other abuses against civilians during the occupation.
Russia has repeatedly denied responsibility for the killings, arguing that images and footage of the dead were staged or fabricated by Ukrainian forces. However, independent investigations, satellite imagery and eyewitness testimonies have challenged Moscow’s denials.
The latest report presented to Beijing represents another effort by Russia to promote its interpretation of the Bucha events as the war and the diplomatic dispute over responsibility for alleged atrocities continue.
