The Kremlin is likely preparing to amplify the narrative accusing the Ukrainian army of “war crimes” in Kursk region in a bid to compromise the Ukrainian military, erode Western support for Ukraine, and sabotage or delay direct talks on a 30-day ceasefire offered to Russia’s Vladimir Putin by U.S. President Donald Trump.
This is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrinform reports.
The summary notes that Putin, other Russian government officials, Russian media outlets, and pro-Kremlin mouthpieces have recently stepped up their claims that Ukrainian forces had allegedly committed war crimes in Kursk region during the seven-month incursion.
Experts noted that Putin asked on March 13, in reaction to the US-Ukrainian temporary ceasefire proposal, whether Russia should let Ukrainian forces leave Kursk Oblast “after they committed a lot of crimes against civilians” and reiterated claims on March 14 that Ukrainian forces committed “terrorism” in Kursk region.
ISW analysts say that Russian ultranationalist voices, including those affiliated with the Kremlin, have been increasingly amplifying Putin’s statements and Russian state media claims accusing Ukrainian forces of “war crimes,” including the executions of civilians in Kursk region.
Russian state media has amplified pro-Kremlin voices, including Acting Kursk region governor Alexander Khinshtein, accusing Ukrainian forces of war crimes in Kursk region since the start of the incursion in August 2024 but has intensified these efforts since February 2025. These claims are unsubstantiated, the ISW stressed.
The report says Putin likely intends to use this narrative falsely portraying Ukrainian forces as brutal war criminals – as the Kremlin did in late 2021 and 2022 to justify Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – to spoil or delay discussions about a 30-day ceasefire, especially when contrasted with Putin’s efforts to portray himself as a merciful leader.
“Russian ultranationalist voices used Putin’s and Russian state media’s allegations of Ukrainian war crimes to support their calls for Russia to reject any ceasefire in Ukraine whatsoever and to justify the brutal treatment of Ukrainian forces on the battlefield,” the ISW said.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, Vladimir Putin said on Friday that, in order for him to implement U.S. President Donald Trump’s call to “save the lives” of Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk region, Ukraine’s military leadership must order them to lay down arms and surrender.
Source: Kremlin pushing narrative of Ukrainian “war crimes” in Kursk region to derail ceasefire talks - ISW
