Russia quite predictably stated that it does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. In Ukraine, they called the court’s decision historic, noting that the criminals should be responsible for the abduction and removal of 16,000 Ukrainian children.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague today, March 17, issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin “in the context of the situation in Ukraine”, in particular, regarding the illegal export of Ukrainian children to Russia. Together with Putin, the court issued a permit for the arrest of Maria Lvova-Belova, the authorized representative of the President of the Russian Federation for children’s rights, who oversees the export of Ukrainian children to Russia. Focus collected how Ukraine and Russia reacted to such a decision of the Hague court.
Arrest warrant for Putin: how they reacted in Ukraine
Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal believes that the head of a terrorist state should be punished for all crimes committed against Ukraine.
“The International Criminal Court in The Hague has issued an arrest warrant for Putin for a war crime – the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children. This is a significant step towards justice. After all, it is Putin who is responsible for this and other crimes of aggression. The head of a terrorist state must definitely stand trial and answer for everything committed crimes against Ukraine,” he wrote on his Telegram channel.
According to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andrey Kostin, now Putin is not allowed to leave Russia, because outside of its borders the Russian dictator can be arrested and brought to trial.
“From now on, the Russian president has the official status of a suspect in an international crime – the illegal deportation and displacement of Ukrainian children. From now on, world leaders will think three times before crushing his hand or sitting down with him at the negotiating table. The world has received a signal that the Russian regime is criminal and its leadership and henchmen will be held accountable. This is a historic decision for Ukraine and the entire system of international law,” Kostin said.
He thanked the ISS Prosecutor Karim Khan and added that regarding the forced deportation of children, the Office of the Prosecutor General submitted to the International Criminal Court in The Hague more than 40 volumes of materials, which recorded the deportation of more than 16 thousand children from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv and Kherson regions.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba wrote tweeted that international criminals should be held accountable for kidnapping children.
“The wheels of justice are turning: I welcome the decision of the ISS to issue arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova for the forced displacement of Ukrainian children. International criminals will be held accountable for kidnapping children and other international crimes,” Kuleba said.
Minister of Culture and Information Policy Alexander Tkachenko called the issuance of permission to arrest Putin a historic decision.
“Putin is an international criminal. And the world is starting to officially recognize it. The International Criminal Court has issued a permit for the arrest of the President of the Russian Federation. This is a truly historic decision for Ukraine and the world. This is an important step in bringing criminals to justice. The world has seen that the Russian regime is criminal.” You will have to answer for every killed, deported and maimed Ukrainian. Responsibility and punishment are inevitable,” Tkachenko said.
Arrest warrant for Putin: how they reacted in the Russian Federation
The representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that the decision of the ISS has no legal status in the Russian Federation.
“Decisions of the International Chief Court have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view. Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute of the International Chief Court and does not bear obligations under it. Russia does not cooperate with this body, and possible “recipes” on arrest coming out of the International Court of Justice will be legally nothing for us,” Zakharova said.
Her words were confirmed by the press secretary of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov.
“The very wording of the question is unacceptable. We do not recognize the jurisdiction of this court,” he said.
The Commissioner of the President of the Russian Federation for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova, for whose arrest the MSC issued a permit together with Putin, does not see her guilt in the abduction of Ukrainian children. She stated that she would continue to work in this direction.
“What I want to say: firstly, it’s great that the international community appreciated your work with the help of the children of our country, that we don’t leave them in the war zone, that we take them out, that we create good conditions for them, surround them with loving caring people There were sanctions of all countries, even Japan, against me, now there is an arrest warrant, I wonder what will happen next – well, we continue to work, “she said.
The International Criminal Court issued an order for the arrest of Vladimir Putin specifically in the case of the transfer of children to Russia, since the punishment of legal entities is possible only if the parties to the military conflict are participants in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Neither Russia nor Ukraine are them.
Ukraine could not convict Putin in state courts because heads of state have so-called immunities, but no one has such immunity before the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The easiest way to bring the head of the country to justice is to investigate crimes against humanity, in particular, the forced displacement of people.
The Administration of the President of the Russian Federation has formed preliminary “ideological guidelines” with which Putin will go to the next presidential elections in the Russian Federation. His election campaign will be based on rhetoric about Russia’s “moral superiority” over other countries.
