Sir,– Naomi O'Leary's report today on the killing by Russian troops of civilians found to have Ukraine tattoos or previous military service is truly horrifying ("How pro-Russian media corroborates key details of atrocities in Ukraine", News, April 6th).
The fact that this practice of systematically seeking out such people for summary execution (aka murder) has been reported from multiple combat areas suggest that this is a systemic policy, rather than just a random approach by individual military units. Such a policy would surely constitute a war crime.
There must be a documented order from Russian high command to the army to adopt this approach. If such an order could be unearthed by Bellingcat, or the intelligence service of a Western country, this would be invaluable evidence for some future international war crimes tribunal.
It, presumably, would also come with the names of senior officers who could be indicted. – Yours, etc,
PETER MOLLOY,
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.