It was expelled from the United Nations council last year after its forces invaded Ukraine.
It was expelled from the UN's pre-eminent human rights body last April after its forces invaded Ukraine.
But now Russian diplomats are seeking to get their country re-elected to the council for a fresh three-year term.
The BBC has obtained a copy of the position paper Russia is circulating to UN members asking for their support.
The vote will take place next month.
In the document seen by the BBC, Russia promises to find "adequate solutions for human rights issues" and seeks to stop the council becoming an "instrument which serves political wills of one group of countries", understood to be a reference to the West.
But also not doing it would no doubt be brought up in the trials for their war crimes.
This is plausible deniability for the brass. "See? We didn't even know our soldiers were torturing civilians! We even applied to the committee because we thought we were all good!"