FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo: Reuters)
The International Criminal Court announced it had issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin for the “unlawful deportation” of Ukrainian children
The International Criminal Court on Friday said it had issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin over war crimes regarding “unlawful deportation” of Ukrainian children.
The Hague-based ICC said it had also issued a warrant against Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s presidential commissioner for children’s rights, on similar charges, according to a report by AFP.
In its first warrant for Ukraine, the ICC, according to a Reuters report, has called for Putin’s arrest on suspicion of unlawful deportation of children and unlawful transfer of people from the territory of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.
Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak welcomed the decision and said the arrest warrant against the Russian President was just an initial step in restoring justice over Russia’s invasion. “The Hague Chamber of the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin. This is just the beginning,” Yermak said on social media.
Ukraine’s Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin also hailed the decision, calling it a historic decision. “The world received a signal that the Russian regime is criminal and its leadership and henchmen will be held accountable,” Kostin said in a statement on social media. “This is a historic decision for Ukraine and the entire system of international law.”
Meanwhile, Russia has responded to the ICC warrant for Putin and said it has ‘no meaning’ and is ‘legally void’.
(With inputs from agencies)
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