Ashraf AboArafe
On June 5, 2025, the Russian delegation to the Vienna Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control, in cooperation with the Office of the Special Representative for Crimes of the Kyiv Regime at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented by Rodion Miroshnik, organized an international video conference to address the situation in the Kursk region, which Russia claims to have “liberated” from Ukrainian forces.
The event drew the participation of more than 100 diplomats, experts, and journalists from member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), BRICS, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) — including attendees from Egypt.
During the session, Rodion Miroshnik and Sergey Foto, Deputy Head of the Russian Human Rights Commissioner’s Office, presented detailed accounts of alleged atrocities committed by “Ukrainian Nazi forces” in the Kursk region. These included:
- Killings of civilians,
- Looting and violence,
- Mass executions,
- As well as torture and mistreatment of captured Russian soldiers.
Survivors from Kursk also spoke during the conference, recounting:
- Gunfire directed at civilians,
- Mined public spaces,
- Houses set on fire with people inside,
- And continuous drone attacks targeting residents.
The event also featured:
- Footage of interviews with captured Ukrainian fighters,
- And documentary films produced by the RT news network.
The presented information — including graphic images, testimonies, and video documentation — triggered strong reactions from participants, many of whom expressed concern over the humanitarian implications and called for independent investigations into the reported abuses.
