At International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and one of the commissars on war crimes in Ukraine.
“Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “Court”) issued arrest warrants for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Ms. Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova,” the ICC said in a statement on Friday.
The court accused the duo of being responsible for the war crimes of illegal child deportation and the illegal transfer of children from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.
The crime, the court said, was allegedly committed in the territory controlled by Ukraine at least since February 24, 2022.
He noted that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Putin is responsible for committing these acts directly or jointly with others and/or through others.
“There are reasonable grounds to believe that Ms. Lvova-Belova is individually criminally responsible for the crime, as she has committed the act directly, together with others and/or through others,” said the court about Putin’s Children’s Rights Commissioner.
The charges were considered by Pre-Trial Chamber II based on the prosecution’s application of February 22, 2023 and the issued arrest warrant.
“The chamber considers that the warrant is confidential to protect victims and witnesses and also to safeguard the investigation,” the statement said.
However, noting that the allegations are active and that public awareness of the warrants can contribute to the prevention of further crimes, the Chamber considers that it is in the interest of justice to publicly disclose the existence of the warrant, the name of the suspect, the crime for which the warrant was issued, and the method of execution answer determined by the Chamber.
Russia is expected to ignore the ICC directive as the country has never been a full member of the international court.
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Although Russia signed the Rome statute, which governs the ICC, in 2000, it has never ratified its membership agreement. In 2016, Mr. Putin withdraw Russia from the process of joining the ICC.
Russia on February 24, 2022 launched a “military operation” against Ukraine with claims of de-nazifying the latter.
Since the war broke out, no fewer than 8,000 people, mostly Ukrainians, have been killed and millions displaced.
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