Russia takes offense over tribunal for Putin: Calls it 'worthless' and starts complaining
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova (Getty Images)
As expected, Russia reacted with hysteria to the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine — a body capable of prosecuting Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova was quick to declare the tribunal "legally null and void," according to the Russian state propaganda outlet TASS.
Zakharova stated that the Kremlin does not recognize the jurisdiction of the Special Tribunal, and that its work and any rulings concerning the punishment for Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine are "worthless" for Moscow.
"The participation of any state in this tribunal will be viewed as a hostile move, reflecting not a desire for resolution but an intent to deepen the current crisis surrounding Ukraine," she said.
Zakharova also targeted the Council of Europe, whose president signed the treaty establishing the Special Tribunal. The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson accused the Council of "creating quasi-legal mechanisms aimed against Russia."
Special tribunal for Russia: What we know
On June 25, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset signed an agreement to establish a Special Tribunal to address the crime of aggression against Ukraine. After the signing, Zelenskyy stated that all Russian war criminals, including Putin, would face justice.
It had initially been expected that the Special Tribunal targeting President Vladimir Putin and his inner circle would be established by the end of 2024, but that did not happen. In an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Deputy Head of the Office of the President Iryna Mudra noted that the tribunal is not expected to begin operating in 2025 either.
The Special Tribunal is necessary because the International Criminal Court does not have jurisdiction over Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine. Russia never ratified the Rome Statute, while Ukraine became a party to it only after Russia’s full-scale invasion. It is unlikely that the tribunal will take into account the opinion of Russia, Putin, or Zakharova, who is known for her epic alcoholism, when it is working and passing sentences.
For more on what the Special Tribunal entails, how it will function, and whether Putin might eventually end up behind bars for life, read the material by RBC-Ukraine.
