In a move that escalates Moscow’s information war against Kyiv, Russia has announced criminal charges against 92 Ukrainian soldiers, accusing them of crimes against humanity — and is now calling for the creation of a Kremlin-backed international tribunal supported by nations aligned with Moscow. The claims, published by state-run media, immediately drew global scrutiny.
Moscow Claims Over 1,300 Criminal Cases
Alexander Bastrykin, head of Russia’s Investigative Committee, told the government newspaper Rossijskaja Gazeta that investigators have opened more than 1,300 cases allegedly tied to Ukrainian actions since the start of the war. He offered no independently verified evidence, and the BBC noted it could not confirm any of the accusations.
Bastrykin went further, proposing a new international tribunal supported by so-called “independent countries” — listing Bolivia, Iran, and Syria, three governments with close ties to the Kremlin. Western officials have dismissed similar efforts as political theater designed to counter global condemnation of Russia’s invasion.
Kyiv Is Investigating Russia — Not the Other Way Around
Ukraine has launched its own sweeping investigations into alleged Russian atrocities. Officials in Kyiv report they are examining more than 21,000 cases of war crimes and crimes of aggression committed by Russian forces since the invasion began in February.
The accusations include strikes on civilian areas, mass executions, torture, and forced deportations. International monitoring groups, the UN, and Western governments have repeatedly cited extensive evidence of Russian violations, much of it documented on video and satellite imagery.
Kremlin Continues Denial Strategy
Moscow denies all wrongdoing — from targeting civilians to destroying Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. Instead, Russian officials routinely accuse Ukraine of shelling its own people, claims rejected by nearly every major world power.
Experts say Bastrykin’s new tribunal proposal is part of a broader effort to rewrite the narrative as Russia faces mounting diplomatic and legal pressure. With international courts investigating alleged Russian war crimes, the Kremlin appears determined to build a counter-structure to legitimize its own claims.
Global Response: Skepticism and Outrage
Western governments have previously condemned Russia’s attempts to create “sham tribunals” in occupied territory, calling them illegal under international law. Human rights organizations warn that such actions are meant to intimidate Ukrainian soldiers, justify political repression, and manufacture propaganda for domestic audiences.
As both militaries brace for further fighting, the legal battle over accountability continues to intensify — with Moscow and Kyiv now engaging in parallel investigations that reflect two competing realities of a brutal war.