The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday announced arrest warrants against former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov for war crimes and crimes against humanity between October 2022 and March 2023 during the invasion of Ukraine.
According to an EFE report, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber approved the arrest warrants, which hold both senior Russian government officials responsible for war crimes for “directing attacks on civilian targets and causing excessive collateral damage to civilians and civilian objects,” as well as a crime against humanity for “inhuman acts” as defined in the Rome Statute.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan asked the Chamber to approve the arrest warrants, in which he accuses Shoigu and Gerasimov of being “criminally responsible” for having committed these criminal acts, ordering their commission and failing to exercise adequate control over the forces under their command to prevent the commission of these crimes.
“There are reasonable grounds to believe that the two suspects are responsible for the missile attacks carried out by the Russian armed forces against the Ukrainian electrical infrastructure from at least 10 October 2022 to at least 9 March 2023,” the three judges who make up the Pre-Trial Chamber said.
During that period, Russian armed forces carried out “a large number of attacks against numerous power plants and substations in multiple locations” in Ukraine.
The attacks “were directed against civilian objects”
Table of Contents
- 1 The attacks “were directed against civilian objects”
- 2 – What are the main allegations against Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov related to the ICC arrest warrants?
- 3 – What impact do the ICC’s arrest warrants for Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov have on international relations with Russia?
Table of Contents
The Chamber also sees “reasonable grounds” to believe that “the alleged attacks were directed against civilian objects, and that for those facilities that might have qualified as military objectives at the relevant time, the expected collateral damage to civilians and civilian objects would have been clearly excessive compared to the anticipated military advantage.”
The report also alleged that “the alleged campaign of attacks constitutes a course of conduct involving the multiple commission of acts against a civilian population, carried out in accordance with a State policy,” which suggests that the suspects “intentionally caused great suffering or serious injury to the body or to mental or physical health, and are thus criminally responsible for the crime against humanity.”
Although the content of the warrants is issued as “secret” to protect witnesses and safeguard ongoing investigations, the Court did authorize the public disclosure of the existence of these arrest warrants, as well as the names of the suspects and the crimes of which they are accused.
These two arrest warrants are not the first issued by the ICC in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine since February 2022. Last March, the arrest of two Russian military personnel was ordered, Lieutenant General of the Russian Armed Forces Sergey Kobylash, and Admiral of the Russian Navy, Viktor Sokolov.
A year earlier, the ICC ordered the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian politician Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s presidential commissioner for children’s rights, for illegally deporting Ukrainian children and transferring them from occupied areas in Ukraine to Russia, a war crime under the Rome Statute.
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2024-09-19 08:37:12
ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Russian Officials Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity in Ukraine
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has made a significant move in holding senior Russian government officials accountable for their role in the Ukrainian conflict. On [date], the ICC announced arrest warrants for former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed between October 2022 and March 2023 during the invasion of Ukraine.
War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Allegations
The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber approved the arrest warrants, which hold Shoigu and Gerasimov responsible for war crimes for ”directing attacks on civilian targets and causing excessive collateral damage to civilians and civilian objects.” Additionally, they are accused of a crime against humanity for “inhuman acts” as defined in the Rome Statute.
The allegations against the two senior officials are based on evidence that they were “criminally responsible” for having committed these criminal acts, ordering their commission, and failing to exercise adequate control over the forces under their command to prevent the commission of these crimes.
Missile Attacks on Ukrainian Electrical Infrastructure
The ICC investigation focused on the missile attacks carried out by the Russian armed forces against the Ukrainian electrical infrastructure from at least October 10, 2022, to March 9, 2023. During this period, Russian forces launched a large number of attacks against numerous power plants and substations in multiple locations across Ukraine.
Targeting Civilian Objects
The ICC judges found “reasonable grounds” to believe that the alleged attacks were directed against civilian objects, and that for those facilities that might have qualified as military objectives at the relevant time, the expected collateral damage to civilians and civilian objects would have been clearly excessive compared to the anticipated military advantage.
Campaign of Attacks Against Civilians
The ICC also alleges that the campaign of attacks constitutes a course of conduct involving the multiple commission of acts against a civilian population, carried out in accordance with a State policy. This suggests that the suspects intentionally caused great suffering or serious injury to the body or to mental or physical health, and are thus criminally responsible for the crime against humanity.
Secret Warrants and Public Disclosure
Although the content of the warrants is issued as “secret” to protect witnesses and safeguard ongoing investigations, the Court authorized the public disclosure of the existence of these arrest warrants, as well as the names of the suspects and the crimes of which they are accused.
Significance of the ICC’s Move
This is not the first time the ICC has issued arrest warrants in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, this move marks a significant step forward in holding senior government officials accountable for their role in the conflict.
The ICC’s decision sends a strong message that those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity will be held accountable, regardless of their position or rank. It also underscores the importance of international justice and the need for accountability in promoting peace and preventing further human suffering.
Keywords: International Criminal Court, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, war crimes, crimes against humanity, Russian invasion of Ukraine, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, Rome Statute.
Meta Description: The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine. Learn more about the allegations and the significance of this move.
– What impact do the ICC’s arrest warrants for Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov have on international relations with Russia?
International Criminal Court Issues Arrest Warrants for Russian Officials Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov
In a landmark move, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for two high-ranking Russian officials, Sergei Shoigu, the former Russian Defense Minister, and Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff, for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The Allegations Against Shoigu and Gerasimov
According to the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber, Shoigu and Gerasimov are accused of “directing attacks on civilian targets and causing excessive collateral damage to civilians and civilian objects,” as well as committing crimes against humanity for “inhuman acts” as defined in the Rome Statute. The Chamber has found reasonable grounds to believe that the two suspects are responsible for the missile attacks carried out by the Russian armed forces against the Ukrainian electrical infrastructure from at least October 2022 to at least March 2023.
The Attacks on Civilian Objects
The Chamber has established that the attacks “were directed against civilian objects,” and that the expected collateral damage to civilians and civilian objects would have been clearly excessive compared to the anticipated military advantage. Furthermore, the report alleges that the campaign of attacks constitutes a course of conduct involving the multiple commission of acts against a civilian population, carried out in accordance with a State policy, which suggests that the suspects intentionally caused great suffering or serious injury to the body or to mental or physical health.
Previous ICC Arrest Warrants
This is not the first time the ICC has issued arrest warrants in connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Last March, the Court ordered the arrest of two Russian military personnel, Lieutenant General of the Russian Armed Forces Sergey Kobylash, and Admiral of the Russian Navy, Viktor Sokolov. A year earlier, the ICC ordered the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian politician Maria Lvova-Belova for their alleged involvement in the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children.
What are the Main Allegations Against Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov related to the ICC Arrest Warrants?
The main allegations against Shoigu and Gerasimov are:
Directing attacks on civilian targets and causing excessive collateral damage to civilians and civilian objects
Committing crimes against humanity for “inhuman acts” as defined in the Rome Statute
Ordering the commission of war crimes and failing to exercise adequate control over the forces under their command to prevent the commission of these crimes
Intentionally causing great suffering or serious injury to the body or to mental or physical health of Ukrainian civilians
Implications and Next Steps
The issuance of these arrest warrants is a significant step towards holding Russian officials accountable for their role in the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. While the warrants are secret to protect witnesses and safeguard ongoing investigations, the Court has authorized the public disclosure of the existence of these arrest warrants, as well as the names of the suspects and the crimes of which they are accused.
The ICC’s move is seen as a major blow to the Russian government, which has consistently denied any wrongdoing in Ukraine. The international community is now watching closely to see how Russia will respond to these warrants, and whether they will cooperate with the ICC to bring the accused to justice.
the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov is a crucial step towards ending impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity. It sends a powerful message to those responsible for these atrocities that they will be held accountable for their actions, and that the international community will not tolerate such grave violations of human rights and international law.
