Russia urges international leaders not to make groundless accusations on Bucha situation

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that Ukraine’s version of what happened in the town of Bucha was a “fake attack” aimed at undermining Moscow, the TASS news agency reported. 

Lavrov saidthat  the dead bodies were “staged” and that images of them and what he said was Ukraine’s false version of events had been spread on social media by Western countries and Ukraine.

Russia’s top diplomat also called on Britain, which holds the presidency of the U.N. Security Council for April, to fulfill its responsibilities in that role after it rejected a Russian request to convene a meeting over Bucha.

In the same context, International leaders should not rush to make ungrounded accusations on the situation in Bucha, and should instead request information from various sources, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.

“The situation is serious indeed, and we would demand here that many international leaders do not rush to make any statements or groundless accusations, but instead request information from various sources, to at least listen to our arguments,” the spokesman said.

He refrained from commenting on how the situation around the fake news about the murder of civilians in Bucha may affect the Russian-Ukrainian talks.

“We will not comment it in any way so far. I have no information about the schedule of further talks,” Peskov said, answering a question.

He also refrained from answering whether the Kremlin is considering a scenario when the talks with Ukraine become pointless, and what must happen so that Kiev has no other options but to capitulate.

Earlier, TASS quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying on her Telegram channel that Russia on Monday will demand again the UN Security Council meet in session to discuss the Ukrainian military’s provocation in Bucha,

“Yesterday, the current UN SC president, Britain, acting in accordance with its worst traditions, once again refused to give consent to holding a Security Council meeting on Bucha. Today, Russia will demand once again the UN Security Council meet in session to discuss criminal provocations by the Ukrainian military and radicals in that city,” Zakharova said.

On April 3, Russian Ministry of Defense debunked Kiev’s accusations of murder of civilians in the town of Bucha, Kiev Region. The ministry stated that Russian forces have completely left Bucha on March 30 already, while “evidence of crimes” only appeared four days later, when Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) officers arrived in Bucha. The Ministry of Defense also underscored that, on March 31, Bucha Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk confirmed that there were no Russian forces in the town, without mentioning any shot civilians.

Compiled By: Basma Qaddour