Kremlin to investigate video alleging abuse of Russian soldiers in Ukraine

On June 26, 2026, the Kremlin announced it would investigate a viral video featuring veteran Alexander Lunin. In the video, which garnered over 12 million views within 24 hours on Instagram, Lunin alleges that Russian commanders in Ukraine are torturing and murdering subordinates. He claims soldiers were held in pits, tortured, and killed for refusing to carry out what he described as suicidal or foolish orders, or for failing to pay bribes to officers. Lunin, who resides in the Voronezh region and was previously unknown to the public, wore a military uniform with medals while recording the footage. He further alleges that officials falsely reported these deaths as occurring in combat to cover up the incidents. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the administration had not yet seen the video but noted it contained what he described as strange phrasings. Instagram is currently banned in Russia, meaning the video was accessed via VPN. It remains unclear whether Lunin acted independently or as part of a larger organized effort, and he provided no specific evidence or names of victims or perpetrators.