Volodin
© State DumaState Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin
President Volodymyr Zelensky fears that his complicity in war crimes will be exposed during a planned trial of Ukrainian troops, the speaker of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, has claimed. This is why he threatened to cut off all talks with Moscow if Russia's ally in Donbass goes ahead with plans to launch a tribunal in Mariupol later this month.

Writing on social media on Tuesday, Volodin said "everybody" is looking forward to the tribunal, except Zelensky, "who considers it unacceptable."
"He and the Kiev regime have reasons to be afraid. He and his inner circle ordered to bomb, shoot and kill peaceful citizens: the elderly, women, children. That is why Zelensky is doing everything to prevent the tribunal."
The lawmaker was referring to a statement Zelensky made on Monday about the scheduled trial of Ukrainian troops captured by the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), an ally of Russia. The Ukrainian leader called the proceedings a "despicable show trial" and "the line beyond which any negotiations are impossible."

The DPR captured hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers during the battle for the city of Mariupol, including members of the notorious Azov Battalion, which has in its ranks fighters openly displaying neo-Nazi views and sympathies. Some of them have been accused of committing serious crimes during intensive fighting against DPR militias and Russian troops.

Volodin called for the trial to be held publicly, "so that the world community will know about the crimes against humanity committed by the Kiev regime."