Russia promotes narrative of Ukrainian "war crimes" in Kursk Oblast to hinder ceasefire negotiations – ISW

Russian leader Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials have been reinforcing a false narrative, accusing the Ukrainian military of alleged war crimes during operations in Russia's Kursk Oblast in an attempt to derail negotiations on a 30-day ceasefire.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Quote: "The Kremlin is likely preparing to intensify a narrative that accuses Ukrainian forces of war crimes in Kursk Oblast in an attempt to discredit the Ukrainian military, erode Western support for Ukraine and spoil or delay straightforward discussions about the 30-day ceasefire that US President Donald Trump proposed to Putin."

Details: Analysts observe that Putin, along with other pro-government Russian officials and state-owned and pro-Kremlin media outlets, has recently escalated rhetoric accusing Ukrainian forces of committing war crimes in Kursk Oblast during the seven-month incursion.

On 13 March, in response to a proposal for a temporary ceasefire between the US and Ukraine, Putin questioned whether Russia should allow Ukrainian troops to leave Kursk Oblast "after they committed a lot of crimes against civilians". On 14 March, he reiterated claims that Ukrainian troops had engaged in "terrorism" in the region.

Quote: "Russian ultranationalist voices, including those with Kremlin affiliations, have been amplifying Putin's statements and Russian state media claims accusing Ukrainian forces of war crimes, including executing civilians in Kursk Oblast, more frequently in recent days.

Russian state media has amplified pro-Kremlin voices, including Acting Kursk Oblast Governor Alexander Khinshtein, accusing Ukrainian forces of war crimes in Kursk Oblast since the start of the incursion in August 2024 but has intensified these efforts since February 2025. These claims are unsubstantiated."

Details: Analysts suggest that Putin is likely attempting to use this narrative, falsely branding Ukrainian forces as "brutal war criminals" – a tactic the Kremlin employed in late 2021 and 2022 to justify Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – in order to derail or delay negotiations on a 30-day ceasefire. This move contrasts with Putin’s efforts to present himself as a "merciful leader".

Quote: "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."

Details: ISW has frequently reported a significant rise in the number of Russian-confirmed executions of Ukrainian POWs on the battlefield in 2024 and early 2025, likely carried out under the orders of Russian military commanders. Additionally, ISW has noted reports of Russian forces executing Ukrainian POWs near the town of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast on 13 March.

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 15 March:

• Russian milbloggers and Ukrainian officials continue to deny Russian leader Vladimir Putin's unsubstantiated claim that Russian forces have encircled a significant number of Ukrainian troops in Kursk Oblast.
• Russian forces continued offensive operations in Kursk Oblast but have not completely pushed Ukrainian forces out of the area as of this publication.
• Ukrainian officials expressed concern about Russian ground operations in northern Sumy Oblast but doubt Russia's ability to conduct an effective concerted offensive operation against the city of Sumy.
• The Kremlin is likely preparing to intensify a narrative that accuses Ukrainian forces of war crimes in Kursk Oblast in an attempt to discredit the Ukrainian military, erode Western support for Ukraine and spoil or delay straightforward discussions about the 30-day ceasefire that US President Donald Trump proposed to Putin.
• Russian forces conducted drone and missile strikes against Ukraine on the night of 14-15 March, including conducting their third double-tap strike against Ukraine in the past week.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed the official Ukrainian delegation to "engage with Ukraine's international partners" in the negotiation process to end the war on 15 March.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Toretsk and Russian forces recently advanced in Sumy Oblast and near Chasiv Yar and Pokrovsk.

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