The Kursk tragedy

President Putin was right to call for a special day of remembrance and to fly north to the meet the victims' families. His initial response to the sinking, to remain silent on holiday in Sochi, was both callous and politically inept. Now, at last, he is acting as a democratically elected head of state should.

Expressing sympathy for the victims and their families, however, is not enough. The first thing required of Mr. Putin is to order an investigation of the disaster. Events of the past 10 days indicate that if that were properly carried out it would indict the navy and defense officials first for gross incompetence, then for brazen lying. From this should flow the sacking of those responsible. There will never be a better opportunity for Mr. Putin to shake off his obligations to the military and call to account those responsible for the deaths of 118 submariners and the blow thereby dealt to Russia's prestige.

-- The Daily Telegraph, London