Russian war criminals may never be brought to justice
Investigate and charge them all the same
EVIDENCE OF RUSSIAN war crimes litters Ukraine, but however much Ukrainians and some Russians wish differently, no one—least of all Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president—is likely to spend a single day in prison for them. Nonetheless, it is important that the atrocities are investigated. This is partly to commemorate those who were tortured, raped and murdered. It is also to expose the Kremlin’s lies to a world too inclined to let them pass. And public indictments of Russian troops would serve as a warning that may help deter the next round of killing.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “To indict is right”
From the April 9th 2022 edition
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