Day 206: Russia Alleges Mass Burial Site Holds Ukrainian Troops Killed in Action; Biden Warns Against Nuclear Weapons

Image copyright: AP Photos [via AP News]

The Facts

  • Amid the discovery of a mass burial site near Izyum in the Kharkiv region on Thurs. - which Ukrainian and Western officials alleged were further examples of Russian atrocities - a Russian official alleged the bodies were deceased Ukrainian fighters who were unburied after fighting in the region.

  • Oleh Syniehubov, Ukraine's head of the military administration in Kharkiv, alleged the burial site contained the bodies of 450 civilians and that 99% showed signs of violent death, with several corpses showing signs of torture or execution. Meanwhile, Alexander Malkevich, a member of Russia's Civic Chamber, alleged Russian troops, alongside members of the local administration, buried Ukrainian soldiers left behind on battlefields. Neither claims have been independently confirmed.


The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

As we have seen in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, and now Izyum, Russia is committing genocide against Ukrainians. There are clear indications of torture and violent deaths; Russia must be held accountable.

Pro-Russia narrative

Like elsewhere in Ukraine, Russian troops buried deceased soldiers who'd been killed in battle but were left behind by their so-called comrades. Allegations that these were victims of Russian atrocities are spread in a coordinated campaign to weaken Russia and justify further Western-led provocations.

Establishment-critical narrative

There have been many brazenly false claims against both sides in this war, so allegations such as these need to be taken with a grain of salt until independently verified.


Metaculus Prediction


Public figures in this story


Establishment split

CRITICAL

PRO

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