The Kremlin on Monday rejected allegations that Russian forces had committed war crimes in Ukraine's Kharkiv province as a "lie." The Kremlin denied its forces were responsible for large-scale killings in east Ukraine and accused Kyiv of fabricating its discoveries of mass graves in recaptured territory.
In the latest incident spurring fears of an atomic emergency, Ukraine said Russian rockets landed dangerously close to a nuclear power station in southern Ukraine. Ukraine recaptured Izyum and other towns in the east this month, crippling Kremlin supply routes and bringing fresh claims of Russian atrocities with the discovery of hundreds of graves — some containing multiple bodies.
Around 450 bodies - most of which Ukraine says are civilians - have been found in mass graves near Izium after Russian troops were this month forced out of the Kharkiv region, much of which they had controlled since the first weeks of their military campaign in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said investigators at the site had found evidence of torture, including bodies with hands tied, and accused Russian troops of committing war crimes.
Asked on Monday about Zelensky's statements, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "It's the same scenario as in Bucha. It's a lie, and of course we will defend the truth in this story."
Russia previously also rejected claims that its troops had committed war crimes in Bucha, outside Kyiv, after evidence of civilians being killed while the town was controlled by Russian troops came to light after Russia's withdrawal at the end of March.
In the latest incident spurring fears of an atomic emergency, Ukraine said Russian rockets landed dangerously close to a nuclear power station in southern Ukraine. Ukraine recaptured Izyum and other towns in the east this month, crippling Kremlin supply routes and bringing fresh claims of Russian atrocities with the discovery of hundreds of graves — some containing multiple bodies.
Around 450 bodies - most of which Ukraine says are civilians - have been found in mass graves near Izium after Russian troops were this month forced out of the Kharkiv region, much of which they had controlled since the first weeks of their military campaign in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said investigators at the site had found evidence of torture, including bodies with hands tied, and accused Russian troops of committing war crimes.
Asked on Monday about Zelensky's statements, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "It's the same scenario as in Bucha. It's a lie, and of course we will defend the truth in this story."
Russia previously also rejected claims that its troops had committed war crimes in Bucha, outside Kyiv, after evidence of civilians being killed while the town was controlled by Russian troops came to light after Russia's withdrawal at the end of March.
