Putin calls the images of dead in Butja "fake"

Vladimir Putin accused the West of planting evidence of war crimes in the past, for example during the war in Syria.

- It is the same kind of scam in Butja, he claimed without presenting any evidence for the claim.

The comment was made almost two weeks after Russian troops interrupted their occupation of areas around the capital Kyiv, and comes as more and more information and testimonies are given about suspected war crimes committed by Russian soldiers.

"Women and children have been systematically raped"

Twenty-five girls and women are said to have been detained and repeatedly raped by Russian forces during the occupation of Butja outside Kyiv.

Nine of them are now pregnant, Ukraine's human rights ombudsman told the BBC.

- Russian soldiers said they would rape them to the point that they never wanted to have sex with any man again, says Lyudmyla Denisova.

The New York Times also reports on several cases of rape, including a case in which a lone woman is suspected of having been held captive as a sex slave by the soldiers.

The woman was found shot in the head in a basement, with only a coat on her body, nothing more.

According to the ombudsman, systematic rapes have been committed by Russian soldiers, and have been used both as a weapon and for revenge.

A number of investigations into war crimes are ongoing

Russian forces suspended the occupation of the area around Kyiv at the end of March after apparent difficulties in forcing and after suffering heavy military losses.

Ukraine and several other countries, including Sweden, are already investigating suspected war crimes in Butja and other cities in Ukraine.

Many government officials have condemned the violence against civilians and demanded that those responsible be brought to justice.

Russian authorities have previously denied the allegations, saying Ukraine wants to make peace talks more difficult.

On Tuesday, the mayor of Butja stated that 403 bodies of people suspected of having been killed by Russian troops have been found so far, and that more are expected to be found.