Putin honours army unit blamed for Bucha massacre with award for ‘heroism and bravery’

VLADIMIR Putin has honoured an army unit accused of war crimes and genocide in the Russian town of Bucha, reports suggest. A decree signed by the Russian tyrant gave the 64th Motor Rifle Brigade the title of guards – scandalously praising them for “mass heroism and valour, tenacity and courage.” APMore than 300 people are believed to have been massacred by the Russian army regiment in Bucha[/caption] APMass graves of those said to have been raped and murdered have been found across the city[/caption] APPutin scandalously honoured the the regiment believed to be responsible for ‘mass heroism’[/caption] Earlier this month, the Ukrainian ministry identified the unit as those responsible for the alleged rape and murder of innocent Ukrainians. The barbarous pack, headed by Lieutenant Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov – dubbed the “Butcher of Bucha”  –  left a trail of death and destruction in their wake.   Harrowing pictures from the city, to the north-west of the capital Kyiv, showed the bodies of civilians scattered in the road and in shallow graves —  many with bound hands and signs of torture. Some of them, from the wounds they had suffered, had been shot from close range. Heavily mutilated corpses of what appeared to be men scattered along the floor of a children’s camp as rescue workers carried the innocent victims out in body bags. A local priest said dogs have been seen eating rotting corpses in apocalyptic scenes to grip the commuter town after the troops laid waste to warzones. Men, women and children were found handcuffed with a bullet in the head and chest – after evidence of alleged torture chambers emerged online. Women and children wer also been found by Ukrainian soldiers, having been raped and then murdered. Most read in News NUKE DANGER Chilling moment fearsome Russian nuclear bomber flies close to Ukraine border RAM AWAY Shock moment truck slams into police car in reverse - before cops let it get away OH SHIP! First pics of Russian flagship sinking in flames as sailors had limbs ripped off SHAFTED BY FRENCH Brits land 66th place in willy size survey - while French are 11th THE SUN SAYS Just when you thought Harry had done the right thing - in stepped Meghan TIME OF THE CENTURY Couple dupe jeweller out of £2m in watches by swapping them with fakes The barbaric troops are believed to have conducted the Bucha slaughter as they scarpered from Kyiv after their botched attempt to take the Ukrainian capital. Days later, Ukrainian intelligence suggested the troops were being redeployed in Belgorod in Western Russia amid claims that Russian commanders are refusing to rotate their brigades The country’s defence ministry claimed troops were being sent to the “hottest spots” in the hope they will be slaughtered by Ukrainian fighters before they can testify before a war crime tribunal. The Kremlin has continued to deny accusations its troops committed war crimes in Ukraine after suggesting chilling pictures of dead bodies strewn across Kyiv streets were staged by Ukraine and the West. Heroic President Volodymyr Zelensky was visibly emotional as he visited the site just days after the mass graves were discovered. The Ukrainian leader was flanked by security as he vowed to ensure that the “war crimes” committed by Russian soldiers on his country’s soil were “the last such evil on Earth”. Boris Johnson later described the events as not “far short of genocide” as the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen was later seen visiting the scene of the massacre. It comes as the number of heads of state and former prime ministers backing calls for an international tribunal over Ukraine continues to rise amid widespread international condemnation of the events unfolding in Eastern Europe.   Read More on The Sun 'heartbroken beyond words' Charlotte Dawson reveals she suffered a miscarriage KNIFE PANIC 'Knifeman', 29, tasered yards from Downing St after confronting cops The Butcher is now at the centre of a probe into the rape, pillage and murder of hundreds of Ukrainians. International law states a military commander is responsible for any war crimes committed by his troops. APUkrainian officials have worked tirelessly to identify those killed in the suspected genoicde[/caption] APLast week the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen visited the scene of the massacre[/caption] East2WestLieutenant Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov – who was blessed by an Orthodox priest in November – is at the subject of a war crimes probe[/caption]