The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant on Friday against Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of being responsible for war crimes committed in Ukraine, news agency Reuters reported.
Moscow has constantly refuted allegations that its forces committed crimes against its neighbor during the one-year invasion.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin on suspicion of illegal deportation of minors and the illegal movement of people from Ukrainian territory to the Russian Federation, the report said.
Putin “is allegedly responsible for the war crime of illegal deportation of population (children) and that of illegal transfer of population (children) from seized territories of Ukraine to the Russian Federation,” the court said in a statement.
The ICC’s pre-trial chamber found “reasonable grounds to believe that each suspect bears responsibility for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population and that of unlawful transfer of population from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, in prejudice of Ukrainian children,” according to the ICC.
Reuters reported earlier this week that the court was set to issue warrants, the first in its inquiry into the Ukrainian conflict.
Additionally, the court issued arrest warrants for Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, on the same charges, the report added.
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‘Just An Initial Step’: Ukraine’s Reaction To ICC’s Action
Ukraine’s presidency said Friday that the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin was only the first step in restoring justice in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion, news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
#UPDATE Ukraine’s presidency said Friday the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin was just an initial step in restoring justice over Russia’s invasion. pic.twitter.com/EoKPTC8iQ0
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) Mar 17, 2023
(With Inputs From Agencies)