Russian President Vladimir Putin.
PAVEL BEDNYAKOV / SPUTNIK / AFP
Russia said on Friday that an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Russian President Vladimir Putin was meaningless.
“The decisions of the International Criminal Court have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on her Telegram channel.
“Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and bears no obligations under it.”
Meanwhile, senior Ukrainian officials applauded decision. Andriy Yermak, chief of the presidential staff, said that issuing the warrant was “only the beginning.”
Earlier, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him of being responsible for war crimes committed in Ukraine.
Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations that its forces have committed atrocities during its one-year invasion of its neighbour.
The ICC issued the warrant for Putin’s arrest on suspicion of unlawful deportation of children and unlawful transfer of people from the territory of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.
News24 analysis | Ukraine war: One year on and the ramifications for SA and the world
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that the court was expected to issue warrants, the first in its investigation into the Ukraine conflict.
Separately the court issued warrants for Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, on the same charges.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect comment from Russia and Ukraine.
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
In times of uncertainty you need journalism you can trust. For 14 free days, you can have access to a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism, top opinions and a range of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today. Thereafter you will be billed R75 per month. You can cancel anytime and if you cancel within 14 days you won’t be billed.
