Another ICC arrest warrant for Putin: Presidential Office weighs in
Photo: Putin may receive another arrest warrant from the ICC (Getty Images)
Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Iryna Mudra, in comment to RBC-Ukraine, stated that the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, is investigating other war crimes. Additional warrants may be forthcoming.
According to Mudra, the ICC warrants for the arrest of Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova are an extremely significant acknowledgment of their criminal activities.
"The Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court determined that they are likely responsible for the war crime of illegal deportation and unlawful transfer of children from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the Russian Federation. Thus, illegal deportation is also a war crime. However, I agree that this is not the only crime they have committed, are committing, and continue to commit," she said.
She added that the issuance of arrest warrants for Putin and Lvova-Belova has significant symbolic value, as for the first time in the ICC’s history, such a measure has been applied against a sitting head of state — a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Mudra believes one of the primary consequences of these warrants has been the significant limitation on their ability to travel internationally. For instance, thanks to these warrants, in August 2023, Putin did not attend the BRICS summit in South Africa, and in November this year, he could not attend the G20 summit in Brazil. Just a few days ago, it was revealed that South Africa would not invite Putin to the G20 summit scheduled for November 2025. Thus, these warrants have managed to establish a degree of international isolation.
"I am aware that further work is underway, and investigations into other war crimes are being conducted. Additional arrest warrants may be issued. There is ongoing work carried out confidentially, the details of which are not known to us," the Deputy Head of the Office of the President stated.
Mudra reminded that Ukraine will become a full member of the International Criminal Court on January 1, 2025.
"And perhaps we will have more rights to receive information about investigations into crimes related to aggression against Ukraine," she added.
In March 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova. The warrant pertained to the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.
