- The head of MI6 said the mass killings of civilians in Ukraine are part of “Putin’s invasion plans.”
- Richard Moore said reports coming out of Bucha, a town near Kyiv, were “horrifying and chilling.”
- It appears part of a strategy of making intelligence about Russia public to counter any denials.
The head of UK secret intelligence said on Sunday that Vladimir Putin planned the “summary executions” being uncovered in parts of Ukraine that were occupied by Russian forces.
Richard Moore, the head of MI6, said in a tweet that “we knew” organized mass killing formed part of “Putin’s invasion plans.”
The comments appear to tie Putin directly to the atrocities that Ukraine has alleged in the cities of Bucha and elsewhere.
Ukraine and international observers have accused Russia of genocide and war crimes in Bucha, which is about 20 miles northwest of Kyiv.
Imagery showed several civilians lying dead on the streets as well as mass graves. Local residents said the victims were killed by Russian soldiers without provocation.
Oleksiy Arestovych, an advisor to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said that some victims were shot in the head with their hands tied behind their back and that women were raped before they were killed. Children are among those killed, he said.
After the attack, Zelenskyy in a speech said: “Concentrated evil has come to our land. Murderers, torturers, rapists, looters, who call themselves the army and who deserve only death after what they did.”
—Zoya Sheftalovich (@zoyashef) April 4, 2022
As the allegations emerged, Moore wrote on Twitter: “We knew Putin’s invasion plans included summary executions by his military and intelligence services.
“The reports of execution-style killings of civilians emerging from liberated areas are horrifying and chilling.”
High-ranking intelligence officials from the UK, US, and other Western countries have been unusually public in their commentary on what they say are Russia’s invasion plans.
The strategy, which began with predicting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as it built up more than 100,000 troops near the country’s borders, is said to be designed to preempt attempts by Russia to disguise its intentions or shift blame.
On Thursday, Sir Jeremy Fleming, head of the intelligence at the cyber agency GCHQ, made an extraordinary intervention about what he called Putin’s “personal war” in Ukraine.
Speaking from Australia, he branded the invasion a “strategic miscalculation” and said: “Even though we believe Putin’s advisors are afraid to tell him the truth, what’s going on and the extent of these misjudgments must be crystal clear to the regime.”
Events in Bucha prompted condemnation from British politicians, with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss reiterating the UK’s support for the International Criminal Court as it investigates and prosecutes war crimes.
She said: “We will not rest until those responsible for atrocities, including military commanders and individuals in the Putin regime, have faced justice.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Russia’s despicable attacks against innocent civilians in Irpin and Bucha are yet more evidence that Putin and his army are committing war crimes in Ukraine.”
He vowed to “do everything in my power to starve Putin’s war machine,” with the promise of further sanctions and military support as well as humanitarian aid.
Truss was due to meet her Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, the minister of foreign affairs, in Warsaw, Poland, on Monday evening, and her Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau in the Polish capital on Tuesday.
“Putin is yet to show he is serious about diplomacy,” she said ahead of her trip. “A tough approach from the UK and our allies is vital to strengthen Ukraine’s hand in negotiations.
“We will continue to support those who are suffering as a result of Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, including the victims of sexual violence and those in need of humanitarian support.”