Some Russians Believe Bucha Massacre Is Fake: 'Ukrainians Did It Themselves'

Some people in Russia believe the Bucha massacre, in which dozens of civilians were found dead on the streets with their hands bound, was just part of a ploy by the Ukrainian government.

Speaking in an interview with Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), some Russians denounced the killings as “fake” and accused Ukraine of “arranging” the bodies so it would appear the Russian soldiers murdered civilians.

“It’s fake. They arranged it so it looks like our (soldiers) killed those civilians,” one respondent said. “It’s clearly fake.” When asked whether she saw the images of the dead bodies in Bucha, the respondent admitted that she had not.

Another Russian civilian also said that Ukrainians orchestrated the “fake” killings. When asked where she got that information, the civilian said she got it “from the TV.”

The views of some Russian citizens align with Moscow’s narrative of the killings. Russian state media Tuesday said that some photo and video evidence of the Bucha killings were "fake." Others showed that Ukrainians were responsible for the bloodshed.

"Among the first to appear were these Ukrainian shots, which show how a soulless body suddenly moves its hand," a host on Russia-1’s evening news declared, according to VOA News. "And in the rearview mirror it is noticeable that the dead seem to be starting to rise even."

However, satellite images and videos released by Western media showed the dead were left out on the streets of the city of Bucha for weeks. Accounts from the family members of the victims also painted a gruesome picture of the Russian soldiers’ reign in Bucha.

In one account, a 14-year-old teen said he was cycling with his father when a Russian soldier stopped them. The soldier fired twice at his father, hitting him in the chest and killing him. The Russian soldier also shot at the teenager once in the left hand and once in the arm. The teen survived and managed to run away after the soldier missed one shot to his head.

In another account, Iryna Abramova, 42, was with her husband and her father when Russian soldiers threw a grenade through the window of their home. The three ran outside to escape the fire. The soldiers, who were waiting outside, ordered her husband to take his sweater off before proceeding to put him on his knees and shoot him in the head.

“Half of his head was gone. I went on the street and blood was still pumping from his head,” Abramova told NBC News.