Earlier today, the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin as well as his Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova on the grounds of “unlawful deportation” of Ukrainian children.
The court’s pre-trial judges assessed that there were “reasonable grounds to believe that each suspect bears the responsibility for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population and that unlawful transportation of transfer of population from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, in the prejudice of Ukrainian Children.
BREAKING: The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for “war crimes in Ukraine”
— ALX ?? (@alx) March 17, 2023
Judges were considering issuing secret warrants but then mentioned if they made it public they would be able to “contribute to the prevention of the further commission of crimes”.
https://twitter.com/Kanthan2030/status/1636774353533808641?s=20
Moscow leaders stated that they do not recognize the Jurisdiction of the ICC. Foreign Ministry leader Maria Zakharova stated “The decisions of the international criminal court have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view. Russia is not a party to the Rome statute of the international criminal court and bears no obligations under it.”
Arrest Warrant Issued for Vladimir Putin Over War Crimes in Ukraine pic.twitter.com/ZMGV81ot44
— Raphousetv (RHTV) (@raphousetv2) March 17, 2023
Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, was excited by the news and said on his social media that “It’s only the beginning.”
Human rights international and managing partner of Global Rights Compliance, Wayne Jordash, agreed that the 2 warrants issued today were the first of many to come.
ICC issue arrest warrants against Putin. He is responsible for war crime of deportation of Ukrainian children. Maria Lvova-Belova named “Commissioner for children's rights”adopted deported boy from Mariupol.
At the moment 16226 Ukrainian children have been deported. pic.twitter.com/JGJr6ye1jb
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) March 17, 2023
“More will come over the next few months. This has got to be a sort of warning shot across the bow. This is the prosecutor just getting something in the docket,” said Jordash. The ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, began war crimes investigations in Ukraine over a year ago and continues to double down on this.
Russian leadership has been very open and upfront about bringing the displaced Ukrainian children back to Russia and putting them up for adoption. In February, Lvova-Belova went on television stating she had adopted one of these children.
The Kremlin is quite open about the removals of children from Russia to Ukraine and there are many links on the Kremlin website where #Putin discusses the issue with Lvova-Belova – or where she's pictured bringing children to Russia for adoption. https://t.co/JIUhl60t2b
— Robyn Dixon (@RobynDixon__) March 17, 2023
It is believed that because of her broadcast of the adoption might’ve been a catalyst in the issuing of these warrants against Putin and herself.
Associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch, Balkees Jarrah stated:
“With these arrest warrants, the ICC has made Putin a wanted man and taken its first step to end the impunity that has emboldened perpetrators in Russia’s war against Ukraine for far too long.
What she or Putin think is irrelevant. The ICC have declared Putin a "Wanted Criminal" and that is how the civilized world can legally view him.
— ??Mick?? (@warden1003) March 17, 2023
“The warrants send a clear message that giving orders to commit or tolerating serious crimes against civilians may lead to a prison cell in The Hague. The court’s warrants are a wakeup call to others committing abuses or covering them up that their day in court may be coming, regardless of their rank or position.”
? And it’s official! #Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is a WANTED MAN over war crimes in #Ukraine.
The @IntlCrimCourt arrest warrants are great news for the many victims of Russian crimes. @hrw’s @balkeesjarrah here ?? pic.twitter.com/dSdzje77O5
— louis charbonneau (@loucharbon) March 17, 2023
“Putin’s arrest warrant is related to Russia’s kidnapping of Ukrainian minors”
Putin's arrest warrant is related to Russia's kidnapping of Ukrainian minors: explainer by @united24media pic.twitter.com/v2rFPzCfEC
— Ukraine / ??????? (@Ukraine) March 17, 2023
Another Image shows the rescue of one of the children
I’d like to remind everyone that the whole world thought would fall within days of full scale invasion Today’s ICC decision, designating Putin a wanted war criminal, is the direct consequence of an unmatched heroism of Armed Forces People Have Rewritten History
I'd like to remind everyone that the whole world thought ?? would fall within days of full scale invasion
Today's ICC decision, designating Putin a wanted war criminal, is the direct consequence of an unmatched heroism of ?? Armed Forces
?? People Have Rewritten History pic.twitter.com/iMiJXZjsem
— Kate Levchuk ?? (@KateGoesTech) March 17, 2023
BREAKING: ICC judges issue arrest warrant against Putin over alleged war crimeshttps://t.co/X3flQUBL0r
? Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/Ft7qq2dbt4
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 17, 2023
SKY News Reports on Arrest Warrant issued for Putin
Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a video post to twitter.
Tweet Says International Criminal Court issues warrant of arrest for Putin. The historic decision, from which historical responsibility will begin.
International Criminal Court issues warrant of arrest for Putin. The historic decision, from which historical responsibility will begin. pic.twitter.com/cUW0WbeGKJ
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / ????????? ?????????? (@ZelenskyyUa) March 17, 2023
Responses to his video
Coming Soon pic.twitter.com/s4ddZ1V9yh
— Yorukhun (@yorukhunnn) March 17, 2023
Maybe we will get lucky and one of his comrades will turn Putin over to the ICC.
— eCitizen ???? ? ? (@eCitizenLH) March 17, 2023
A Hall Monitor has more Authority than the International Criminal Court.
— JaiRolla (@rolla275) March 17, 2023