This Friday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against the Russian presidentVladimir Putinaccusing him of being responsible for war crimes committed in Ukraine.
In his first arrest warrant regarding Ukrainethe ICC requested the arrest of putin as suspected of illegal deportation of children and illegal transfer of persons from Ukrainian territory to the Russian Federation. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that the court was expected to issue arrest warrants. An arrest warrant was also issued against Maria Lvova-Belova, Russian commissariat of Children’s rightsfor the same charges.
The prosecutor of the ICC, Karim Khan, launched an investigation into possible war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Ukraine. During four trips to that country, he stressed that he was investigating alleged crimes against children and attacks against civilian infrastructure but Russia He stated that the arrest warrant is meaningless.
“The decisions of the International Criminal Court have no meaning for our country, not even from a legal point of view”said the spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharovaon his channel Telegram. “Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and has no obligation under it”he added.
Russia signed the Rome Statute in 2000 but never ratified it to become a member of the ICCeventually retiring his signature in 2016.