We can't just blame Putin for Russia's crimes

The Ethics of Killing in the Russia-Ukraine War

Most in the West see Russia's war in Ukraine as immoral and unjust. Some lay the blame solely at Putin's feet, seeing him as an authoritarian leader and the Russian soldiers as being forced to do his bidding. But, argues the University of Oxford’s Jeff McMahan, this picture is too simple. We must see Russian soldiers as morally responsible for their actions during the war in Ukraine. Fighting in an unjust war is a morally impermissible act, despite Putin's tyranny.

 

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