During a press conference held on November 8, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov reiterated a conspiracy theory promoted by the Russian state regarding the 2022 massacre of Ukrainian civilians in the village of Bucha.
The Claim:
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, has reasserted the Russian government conspiracy theory about the massacre of Ukrainian civilians in Bucha, claiming that it was orchestrated as a “fake attack” intended to undermine Moscow. Previously, pro-Kremlin influencers have manipulated photos and videos to inaccurately bolster this unfounded assertion.
The Facts:
According to the Ukrainian government, 461 Ukrainian civilians were killed in Bucha by invading Russian armed forces in early March 2022. Widespread atrocities, including torture, rape, and the execution of innocent civilians, have been reported and investigated.
Analysis of video evidence and telephone records identified Russia’s 234th Regiment, a paratrooper unit based in the city of Pskov in western Russia, as the main perpetrator of these crimes.
United Nations investigators documented the execution of 54 men, 16 women, 2 boys, and 1 girl by members of Russia’s armed forces.
Ukrainian human rights activists also documented the systematic rape of two dozen women and girls in Bucha by Russian soldiers.
