ICC issues arrest warrant for Putin over Ukraine ‘war crimes’

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, over the crimes committed by the country’s forces in the ongoing war with Ukraine.

The Russian leader has come under increasing attack from the Western allies led by the United States and Britain since the February 22, 2022 invasion of its Northeastern neighbour.

Over 14,000 people from both sides had been killed and hundreds of thousands others injured since the war began 13 months ago.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Hague-based court said the warrant followed the applications filed by the prosecution last month.

It also issued a warrant for the arrest of Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, the commissioner for children’s rights in the Russian President’s office, on similar allegations.

The ICC held the Russian President responsible for the crimes committed in Ukrainian territory by the country’s forces.

According to the ICC, Putin’s failure to exercise control over civilian and military subordinates in Ukraine has made him responsible for these crimes.

The statement read: “Today, 17 March 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “the Court”) issued warrants of arrest for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Ms. Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova.

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“Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, born on 7 October 1952, President of the Russian Federation, is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of the population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation (under articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute).

“The crimes were allegedly committed in Ukrainian-occupied territory at least from 24 February 2022. There are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Putin bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes, (i) for having committed the acts directly, jointly with others, and/or through others (article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute),

“And (ii) for his failure to exercise control properly over civilian and military subordinates who committed the acts, or allowed for their commission, and who were under his effective authority and control, pursuant to superior responsibility (article 28(b) of the Rome Statute).

“Ms. Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, born on 25 October 1984, Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation (under articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute).”

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