Russian Army Chief of Staff and Former Defense Minister Issued Arrest Warrants by ICC for Alleged Crimes in Ukraine
The Russian army's Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, and former defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, are now facing arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for suspected crimes against humanity and war crimes committed between October 10, 2022, and March 9, 2023, in Ukraine. The ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, stated that these crimes were perpetrated in the context of Russian military forces' aggression against Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, which began in 2014. Following the ICC's decision, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the announcement, emphasizing that justice for Russian crimes against Ukrainians is inevitable. However, Russia's security council downplayed the significance of the ICC's decision. The arrest warrants, classified as secret to protect witnesses, are related to the first bombing campaign targeting Ukrainian power plants, which resulted in significant civilian damage. The ICC believes that making these warrants public could help prevent further crimes against civilians. The situation is ongoing, and further developments are anticipated.
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