The International Criminal Court (ICC) has made a bold move by issuing an arrest warrant for Russia’s former defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, and the chief of general staff, Valery Gerasimov. The court alleges that the two men are responsible for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war in Ukraine.
According to the ICC judges, Mr. Shoigu and Mr. Gerasimov are suspected of ordering attacks on civilian targets between October 2022 and March 2023, or failing to control the forces under their command. This decision has been hailed by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky as a step towards justice for Russian crimes against Ukrainians.
However, Russia’s Security Council has dismissed the arrest warrant as “insignificant” and part of a hybrid war against Moscow. Mr. Shoigu, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was removed as defence minister last month and is now serving as the secretary of the Security Council.
Interestingly, Mr. Putin himself has been wanted by the ICC since March 2023 for alleged war crimes, particularly focusing on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. The court has also issued a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Putin’s Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova.
While the ICC has no powers to arrest suspects outside of its member countries, the ruling has had an impact on Mr. Putin’s travel plans. Since the arrest warrant was issued, the Russian president has avoided visiting countries that are signatories to the ICC.
It is important to note that Ukraine is not a member of the ICC, but it has accepted the court’s jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed on its territory since November 2013. This development highlights the growing international scrutiny on the actions of powerful leaders and the pursuit of justice for victims of war crimes and atrocities.
