The International Criminal Court (ICC) declared on Friday March 17 that it had issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin for his responsibility for war crimes perpetrated in Ukraine since the Russian invasion.
“Today, 17 March 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for two individuals in connection with the situation in Ukraine: Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Ms. Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova”presidential commissioner for children’s rights in Russia, the ICC said in a statement.
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Vladimir Poutine “is allegedly responsible for the war crime of illegal deportation of population (children) and illegal transfer of population (children) from the occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation”the court added.
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“The crimes were allegedly committed in occupied Ukrainian territory at least from February 24, 2022”the ICC continued, adding that there was “reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Putin is personally responsible for the above-mentioned crimes”.
A priority investigation for alleged kidnappings of children
On Monday March 13, the “New York Times” reported that the ICC was preparing to launch proceedings against Russians for the transfer of children to Russia and for deliberate strikes on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said earlier this month after a visit to Ukraine that the alleged child abductions were making “the subject of a priority investigation”.
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The ICC, created in 2002 to judge the worst crimes committed in the world, has been investigating for more than a year into possible war crimes or crimes against humanity committed during the Russian offensive.
Neither Russia nor Ukraine are members of the ICC, but kyiv has accepted the court’s jurisdiction over its territory and is working with the prosecutor.
Russia denies war crimes allegations. Experts admitted she was unlikely to hand over any suspects.
