Killing military personnel during conflicts does not violate humanitarian law. This was stated to RIA Novosti by the official representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Elizabeth Trossel, who was asked to comment on the murder of the chief of the RCBZ troops. Russian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov.
"As for this particular incident, we do not have enough information about the device or the method (of the murder) so that we can comment on it," Trossel replied.
Trossel added that international humanitarian law requires that the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution be observed in attacks, that is, the parties to the conflict must always distinguish between civilians and combatants, as well as between civilian objects and military targets. However, under international humanitarian law, all members of the armed forces of a party to a conflict are considered combatants.
"With regard to the question of whether this can be considered an extrajudicial execution, it is important to note that, although there is no definition of extrajudicial execution, international human rights law prohibits arbitrary deprivation of life. In a situation of armed conflict, deprivation of life is considered arbitrary only if the murder is a violation of the principles of international humanitarian law relating to the conduct of hostilities mentioned above," said the representative of OHCHR.