Russian Officials Push Back Against ICC Arrest Warrant Issued for Putin
An official from Russia’s Investigative Committee, Chairman Alexander Bastrykin, declared that the committee will soon place on the wanted list the judges of the International Criminal Court who issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin. This statement was reported by DEA News. Bastrykin indicated that the investigation would rapidly expand to include the ICC leadership and others who influenced the court’s decision, promising swift action to add those individuals to Russia’s wanted list.
Bastrykin went further, proposing the establishment of a high judicial body in partnership with Asian states to confront the ICC and the European Court of Human Rights. He suggested that such a council would operate under established laws and norms, and that this collaboration could advance the cause of justice as he sees it.
The arrest warrant was issued by the ICC’s preliminary hearing chamber in The Hague, a court that Russia does not recognize as having jurisdiction over its actions. The warrants targeted Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s juvenile ombudsperson, with accusations centered on alleged deportation of children from Ukraine in the course of the conflict. The court stated its case on March 17, detailing the charges and the scope of the allegations against the individuals named.
Subsequently, on March 20, the Investigative Committee of Russia announced the opening of a criminal case against three ICC judges, Tomoko Akane, Rosario Aytala, and Sergio Godinez, along with prosecutor Karim Khan. The timing and framing of these developments reflect a broader dispute between Moscow and the ICC over jurisdiction and accountability in the context of the ongoing crisis.
Speaking on the matter, a spokesman for the Russian presidency, Dmitry Peskov, suggested that it is unlikely Moscow will implement or acknowledge any judgment issued by the International Criminal Court against President Putin. He emphasized that Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute and, therefore, does not recognize the ICC’s authority over this matter. This position underscores the persistent tension between Russia and the ICC, a tension that has shaped diplomatic and legal discourse on the Ukraine crisis.
As the dialogue around accountability and sovereignty continues, analysts note that the Russian government appears intent on pursuing parallel mechanisms and alliances that it believes could counterbalance external judicial pressures. Observers stress that the unfolding events highlight a broader contest over international law, jurisdiction, and the limits of accountability for state actors in times of conflict. Attribution: DEA News.