They are already unearthing mass graves of the murdered in areas taken back from the rebels.
Putin is trying to completely conquer Ukraine by stealth to minimize economic retaliation from the west but the whole world is seeing what he and the Russian military and his proxy military of terrorists is doing.
When he can no longer deny and the world mounts against him, he may do a full on invasion of Ukraine, it is his best opportunity with the quisling in the WH, who may be in league with the Russians all along.
The Ukrainians are not like his usual victims who cower and don't fight back.