Mass graves, mass destruction: Justice must be served for the merciless war of aggression in Ukraine

Editorial: It will be for the international authorities to determine what exactly took place – and who should be charged

One day, if he is still around, Vladimir Putin may well find himself on a charge sheet (Reuters)

Mass graves, mass destruction, mass violation of human rights, and torture. The only surprise for the liberators of the Ukrainian city of Izyum is that the destruction and the pain inflicted on civilians wasn’t even worse.

Like Bucha, Mariupol and many other places large and small, the Russians and their mercenary Chechen allies showed no mercy. They committed war crimes – and once again the Ukrainian authorities will have to piece together what evidence they can recover for indictments and as evidence in some future trial.

It recalls some of the worst episodes in Europe in the past century and more of conflicts: 440 bodies discovered at a mass burial site in the city, many killed by indiscriminate shelling and through a lack of medical care. As the conflict has proceeded, it has become clear that the Russian forces only have three reliable methods of warfare: sheer numbers, heavy bombardment of civilian targets to trigger terror – and sadistic repression once they have taken control of the rubble.