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A commanding officer of the Russian army accused of involvement in the killing of civilians in the Ukrainian city of Bucha with all available evidence has been promoted to the rank of colonel from the rank of colonel.

The Russian Defense Ministry had referred to the officer, Colonel Izbek Omorbekov, in a statement on Friday, the first to grant him this rank.

“For three weeks, under the command of Colonel Omorbekov, units of the brigade repelled more than 50 enemy attacks with tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and heavy artillery,” reads a message on Telegram with the slogan “#HeroesZ.”

On Saturday, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine wrote in a tweet that Azatbek Omorbekov, of the Russian 64th Separate Guards Rifle Brigade, had been promoted to the new rank.

“to [the] The civilized world is an executioner, a murderer, a rapist, a thief. “But for [the] The Kremlin is a “hero,” adding that the promotion would have the effect of “stimulating him to commit new war crimes.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Colonel Omorbekov’s unit the honorary “Guard” title earlier this month.

The UK said on Thursday it was Impose new penalties for what she described as “key leaders in the Russian military – targeting those who lead the front lines to commit these heinous acts”. Among them was the commanding officer of the Russian military unit that occupied Bucha, whom I identified as Lieutenant-Colonel Omorbekov, a rank lower than that of a colonel.

Hundreds of people have been found dead In Bucha, a city north of Kyiv, after Russian forces withdrew from the city several weeks ago, including some in handcuffs. Russia denied allegations that its forces were involved in the killing of civilians.