Europe News Desk!! The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin. The BBC reported that the court alleges he is responsible for war crimes, including the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. The court says the crimes were committed in Ukraine from February 24, 2022—when Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Moscow denies allegations of war crimes during the invasion. The ICC has accused Putin of being involved in the deportation of children, and said it has reasonable grounds to believe that he directly committed the acts, as well as acting in concert with others.
The BBC reported that the court also said the Russian leader had failed to exercise his authority to stop others deporting the children. Russia’s Commissioner for Child Rights Maria Lvova-Belova is also wanted by the ICC. A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the arrest warrants are meaningless. The decisions of the International Criminal Court have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view, Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram, reports the BBC. This is because, despite warrants, the ICC has no power to arrest suspects, and it can only exercise jurisdiction within countries that have signed the agreement establishing the court. The BBC reported that Russia has not signed that agreement.
–IANS
World News Desk!!
KC/ANM