GUR: The russian military involved in the Bucha killings are returning to Ukraine

The Russian military, which committed atrocities in Bucha, has been instructed by commanders to return to Ukraine, writes the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.

«The 64th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 35th All-Russian Army, whose servicemen massacred and tortured civilians in Bucha, will be returning to Ukraine,» the statement said.

According to intelligence, as of April 4, the brigade was moved out of Ukraine into Belarus near the town of Mozyr. By April 6, the personnel will be transported by rail to Belgorod, Russia.

«After a brief two-day vacation, they plan to return to Ukraine in one of the hottest battle grounds (heading in the direction of Kharkiv). Ordinarily, Russian units leaving a war zone get much more time to recover and rest,“ said intelligence

According to the GUR, such a schedule indicates that the 64th Brigade is waiting to be assigned to «special missions”.

The first being: intimidating the inhabitants of Ukrainian settlements, because those who committed acts of genocide in Bucha will likely do the same in other cities.

«Another reason for the swift return of the 64th Brigade to Ukraine is the need to quickly dispose of unnecessary witnesses. That is, they are being redeployed to parts of the front where their chances to stay alive will be slim, thus making it impossible for them to potentially testify during court proceedings,” the statement said.

The personnel who make up the unit are aware of the significance of the events in Bucha and the responsibility they face for the crimes they committed and are resisting their return to Ukraine, intelligence said.

Russian command is ignoring these sentiments and threatens a tribunal if the men refuse to continue fighting. Requests for discharge are not being accepted at this time. 

US President Joe Biden called the killings in Bucha a war crime and has called for a tribunal. 

And Ukrainian intelligence has released a list of Russian troops who took part in the commission of war crimes in Bucha and the Kyiv region.

Also read

In Kherson russian occupiers kidnap and torture dozens of people

We were treated like criminals: a woman who was forcibly deported to russia by the russian troops

The executioners of Bucha: most of the russian soldiers committing genocide in Ukraine are 20-year-olds