The International Criminal Court (ICC) just put out an arrest warrant for Russian president Vladimir Putin for war crimes committed against Ukraine in their ongoing invasion of the nation. Moreover, the ICC is specifically taking aim at alleged involvement in abducting children from Ukraine, in addition to other cruel behavior. Furthermore, the court stated that the 70-year-old "is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation."
In addition, they issued a warrant for the arrest of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, on similar charges. However, since Russia does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC, said arrest will prove difficult to enforce. In fact, the response of Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova to the warrant makes their position quite clear. "The decisions of the International Criminal Court have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view," she expressed via a statement. Also, a Russian politician reportedly tweeted a joke about the ICC's warrant, comparing it to toilet paper.
ICC Issues Arrest Warrant For Vladimir Putin
Meanwhile, officials and citizens in Ukraine are reportedly overjoyed at the news. Moreover, a top advisor to Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said that the country is ecstatic about the fact that the "wheels of Justice are turning." Still, such spirit from the Ukranian people faced catastrophic besieging for the past year, or decades depending on how you look at the conflict. Despite its history, it's undeniable that the past year impacted the two nations' relationship more than ever. However, another important element that people (especially not from either country) brought up are the other public officials that deserve sentencing.
Of course, the primary examples that social media brought up in that regard are U.S. presidents. For example, Clinton, Bush, Obama, and others faced similar accusations of war crimes, although calling them accusations is an understatement. As such, this news caused not just direct discussion on the conflict, but also indirect discussion on the ICC's jurisdiction and role. Regardless of your take, check back in with HNHH for the latest big news and updates on this story and conflict.
