MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday accused Ukrainian authorities of being behind “crude and cynical” provocations in the town of Bucha as he spoke to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

“Putin informed (Orban) about the situation regarding talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives and also gave (his) principled assessment of the Kyiv regime’s crude and cynical provocation in the city of Bucha,” the Kremlin said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian troops of killing dozens of civilians in Bucha, after images emerged at the weekend of bodies strewn across the streets following the Russian army’s withdrawal.

The Russian defence ministry claimed that Ukrainian authorities were preparing “similar provocations” in the towns of Konotop and Trostyanets in northeastern Ukraine and the towns of Borodyanka and Katyuzhanka near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

Separately, Russian foreign ministry spokeswman Maria Zakharova said that Western media also carried the blame for what happened in Bucha.

“Yes, I accuse Western media, first and foremost the American outlets, of not only spreading fakes and misinformation but also of complicity in this punitive action to kill civilians in Bucha,” she told reporters.