Ciaran O'Connor: Russian disinformation machine labels war crimes in Ukraine as propaganda

If, or when, evidence of further atrocities emerges, it’s imperative that we recognise and counter disinformation efforts and challenge those who dismiss such crimes against civilians as propaganda

Firefighters work to extinguish fire at an apartments building after a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Generally, when evidence of crimes can’t be ignored, we see Russia seek to pass culpability onto others instead.  Picture: AP Photo/Andrew Marienko

It’s not easy to spot Iryna Filkina at first. Emerging from the bottom of the frame pushing a bicycle down a street, she was captured on drone video footage taken in early March in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, while the area was under the control of Russian forces. Then, just as she turned left around a corner, plumes of white smoke rose from waiting armoured military vehicles pointed in her direction, indicating they had just opened fire.

After the liberation of Bucha at the end of March, Filkina’s body and her bicycle were again captured in subsequent photos taken at the same location, Yablunska Street. Russian denials followed. Since the beginning of April, images and reports from Bucha, occupied by Russian forces for a month, have uncovered sites of unimaginable devastation, unlawful murder and evidence of cruel brutality enacted upon its residents. Bodies are still being discovered and evidence of suspected Russian war crimes is growing.