In a surprising move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his predecessor Petro Poroshenko have been included on Russia's wanted list, as reported by Russian state media. The list, issued by the interior ministry, features both leaders along with Gen. Oleksandr Pavlyuk, the commander of Ukraine's ground forces. The allegations against these individuals remain unspecified.

According to Mediazona, an independent Russian news outlet, Zelenskyy and Poroshenko have been on the wanted list since at least late February. However, Russian officials have yet to provide any clarification regarding the charges leveled against them.

Responding to the reports, Ukraine's foreign ministry dismissed Zelenskyy's inclusion as evidence of "the desperation of the Russian state machine and propaganda." The ministry highlighted that these claims are an attempt to discredit Ukraine's leadership.

The wanted list released by Russia also names several officials and lawmakers from Ukraine and NATO countries. Notably, Kaja Kallas, the prime minister of NATO and EU member Estonia, has been targeted due to her advocacy for increased military aid to Ukraine and stronger sanctions against Russia. Russian officials claim that Kallas is wanted for removing Soviet-era monuments to Red Army soldiers in Estonia, citing it as an act of "desecration."

Other individuals included on Russia's list are cabinet ministers from Estonia and Lithuania, as well as the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) who had prepared a war crimes warrant for President Vladimir Putin last year. Additionally, the head of Ukraine's military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, has been charged with "terrorist" activities, including Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian infrastructure.

Russia has repeatedly attempted to link Ukraine's leaders to Nazism despite the presence of a democratically elected Jewish president in Ukraine, who also lost relatives in the Holocaust. These baseless allegations are condemned by Kyiv and its Western allies.

Moscow follows a dual strategy of emphasizing the Soviet Union's role in defeating the Nazis during World War II while downplaying any collaboration by Soviet citizens in the persecution of Jews. Some historians argue that this tactic is coupled with an attempt by Russia to manipulate historical truths from the war, including minimizing allegations of crimes committed by Red Army soldiers against civilians in Eastern Europe.

The inclusion of Zelenskyy, Poroshenko, and other officials on Russia's wanted list adds fuel to the already tense relations between the two countries. The motives behind these accusations and the repercussions they may have on the diplomatic landscape remain uncertain.