The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for both Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova.
The arrest warrants are seen by many international commentators as the death blow to any hopes of a negotiated settlement in the NATO/Ukraine-Russia war.
The arrest warrants, the full text of which can be found below, claim that both individuals directed the ” unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation (under articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute). “
The arrest warrants come days after a US Spy drone fell into the Black Sea whilst observing the Crimean Peninsula, with some in the US administration claiming Russian involvement. Others see the issue of arrest warrants as a response to the crashing of the US spy drone.
The accusations made by the ICC appear to be malicious in content and driven by political objectives as Ukraine is losing ground and it would appear the military conflict in East Ukraine/West Russia.
As cities such a Mariupol came under intense fighting last year, many citizens fled to the Russian lines and were provided shelter as refugees in the Russian Federation. Russia has taken up to 3,000,000 refugees, by far the biggest influx to any country due to the conflict.
During the Summer months Ukraine’s Government have made many spurious human rights abuse allegations against Russian forces with little to no evidence, such as claims Russian forces were bombing civilian buildings with civilians in them. Amnesty international however issued reports that it was in fact Ukraine’s troops using civilian buildings and civilians themselves as shields.
Since issuing that report, Amnesty international have been barred from attending or examining places of alleged human rights abuses within Ukraine’s territories such as the Bucha event.
Similarly, Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner Denisova was publicly fired after international sex-abuse support charities revealed that she had lied about systemic Russian military sex abuse against women and children in Ukraine, that she had made the accusations up and had them published globally.
The issue of an arrest warrant for the Russian President appears to be based in similar, unproven and some might say ludicrous accusations of mass child abduction by the President and Children’s Commissioner.
Ukrainian sources first made such claims as Russian forces evacuated men, women and children to safety from conflict zones. At the time, many commentators and pundits laughed off the accusations as more of the same war propaganda from Kiev.
There are many, many videos available online showing refugees fleeing towards Russian lines and indeed welcoming Russian forces. As Russia supports more refugees fleeing the conflict than any other country, is that humanitarian programme being re-branded by NATO and the ICC as something sinister?
One thing can be assured from the issue of the arrest warrants, NATO and the US have decided there will be no peace talks.
The full wording of the arrest warrant can be read below…
“Mr Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, born on 7 October 1952, President of the Russian Federation, 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 (under articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute). The crimes were allegedly committed in Ukrainian occupied territory at least from 24 February 2022. There are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Putin bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes, (i) for having committed the acts directly, jointly with others and/or through others (article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute), and (ii) for his failure to exercise control properly over civilian and military subordinates who committed the acts, or allowed for their commission, and who were under his effective authority and control, pursuant to superior responsibility (article 28(b) of the Rome Statute).
Ms Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, born on 25 October 1984, Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, 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 (under articles 8(2)(a)(vii) and 8(2)(b)(viii) of the Rome Statute). The crimes were allegedly committed in Ukrainian occupied territory at least from 24 February 2022. There are reasonable grounds to believe that Ms Lvova-Belova bears individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes, for having committed the acts directly, jointly with others and/or through others (article 25(3)(a) of the Rome Statute).
Pre-Trial Chamber II considered, based on the Prosecution’s applications of 22 February 2023, that there are 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.
The Chamber considered that the warrants are secret in order to protect victims and witnesses and also to safeguard the investigation.
Nevertheless, mindful that the conduct addressed in the present situation is allegedly ongoing, and that the public awareness of the warrants may contribute to the prevention of the further commission of crimes, the Chamber considered that it is in the interests of justice to authorise the Registry to publicly disclose the existence of the warrants, the name of the suspects, the crimes for which the warrants are issued, and the modes of liability as established by the Chamber.
The abovementioned warrants of arrests were issued pursuant to the applications submitted by the Prosecution on 22 February 2023.”