Russia's UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya has described the atrocities in the Ukrainian city of Bucha a "staged provocation."
"From the very beginning, it has been clear that this is nothing else but yet another staged provocation aimed at discrediting and dehumanizing of the Russian military and levelling political pressure on Russia," Nebenzya said in a press conference on Monday.
Nebenzya said that the Russian army did not commit "cruel atrocities against the civil population."
"It's not the case, it will never be the case and it was never the case," the ambassador said, adding that Moscow has "factual evidence that proves this point" which it intends to present to the UN Security Council "as soon as possible."
Russia had already requested a special session of the 15-member council for Monday but Britain, which holds the presidency of the body for April, said the Council would hold a scheduled discussion on Ukraine on Tuesday, a decision criticized by Nebenzya.
Pictures of unarmed residents lying lifeless on the ground the small town of Bucha after Russian troops withdrew have been reverberating around the world since the weekend. Russian troops controlled the area for weeks.
Ukraine, along with many world powers, say Russian soldiers committed the massacre.
Moscow says it had nothing to do with the killings and has called the images "fake."
