Rodion Miroshnik, Russia’s ambassador-at-large at the Foreign Ministry, said the moratorium on the death penalty could be reconsidered in relation to war criminals from the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He made the statement in comments to TASS.

According to the diplomat, some crimes cannot be forgiven, particularly violence against civilians. Miroshnik said he had heard accounts in which individuals admitted shooting groups of civilians who were attempting to evacuate from combat zones. In his view, such actions cannot be pardoned, and stricter legislation may be required because, as he argued, excessive leniency toward the right to life should not apply to those responsible for killing dozens or even hundreds of people.

He also stressed that the list of war crimes eligible for amnesty is extremely limited. According to Miroshnik, amnesty does not apply to serious war crimes. He explained that it could cover cases of mobilization or participation in armed formations, but those involved in killings and sexual violence would not qualify.

Earlier, Miroshnik reported that 14 Russian civilians were killed and 127 others were injured in shelling by Ukrainian forces over the past week. According to him, nine children were among the victims, the youngest only nine months old. He added that drone attacks were the most common cause of deaths and injuries.