'Gross propaganda fakes': Vladimir Putin denies war atrocities to German chancellor in unhinged rant

On Friday, The Daily Beast reported that Vladimir Putin denied all of his country's war atrocities and asserted his own state propaganda to the chancellor of Germany in an unproductive phone call.

"Despite the nonsensical logic and the overwhelming evidence to suggest otherwise, Putin told Chancellor Olaf Scholz that reports about 'ongoing air strikes of Kyiv and other large cities are gross propaganda fakes,'" reported Rachel Olding. "He reiterated his conditions for a ceasefire which largely mirror his bogus reasons for invading Ukraine: the demilitarization and 'denazification' of Ukraine, the recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, the 'sovereignty' of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, and the neutral status of Ukraine."

Putin has claimed he is merely attempting to defend the security of so-called "independent republics" declared by the separatists, despite the fact that these separatists were backed and encouraged by Russia in the first place.

This comes as reports of increased brutality and Russian war atrocities continue, including reported use of cluster bombs in populated areas and shelling a nuclear power station.