International Court orders arrest of senior Russian officials for war crimes against Ukraine

The International Criminal Court (ICC) deals a blow to the Russian government headed by Vladimir Putin, since this Tuesday, June 25, he issued Arrest warrants issued against former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoiguand his Chief of the General Staff, General Valery Gerasimovfor war crimes, specifically for attacking civilian targets in Ukraine.

The court charged the Senior Russian War Crimes Officials and the crime against humanity of inhuman acts.

What are crimes against humanity?

International Amnesty explains that they are considered Crimes against humanity (or against humanity) those committed as part of a general or systematic attack against civilians in time of peace or war, including torture, forced disappearance, homicide, enslavement, deportation and acts of sexual violence and gender, including rape.

Blow to Putin: International Court orders arrest of senior Russian officials for war crimes

The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber approved arrest warrantswhere it is held responsible for: “directing attacks at 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 Rome Statute.

And the judges believe that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the two men are responsible for “missile attacks carried out by the Russian armed forces against the electrical infrastructure Ukrainian” between October 10, 2022 and at least until March 9, 2023.

ICC notes campaign of attacks against civilian population

“During this period, the Russian armed forces carried out a large number of attacks against numerous power plants and substations in various locations in Ukraine.”

Specifies the International Criminal Court

In addition, he denounced 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.”

They add that this makes one believe that The suspects “intentionally caused great suffering or serious injury to the body or to mental or physical health, thus being criminally responsible for the crime against humanity.”

It was unlikely that either of them senior Russian officials were to be arrested imminently for war crimes against Ukraine, which is why the International Court issued the order, which implies a blow to Putin.

What will happen with the ICC order?

However, Russia is not a member of the International Courtwhich is why it does not recognize its jurisdiction and refuses to hand over suspects.

The Court also issued an arrest warrant last year against Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he accused of having personal responsibility in the kidnapping of children from Ukraine.

Putin replaced Shoigu as defense minister in a government reform in May this year, when he began his fifth term as president, and appointed him secretary of the Security Council Russian, according to the Kremlin.

What is the International Criminal Court accusing senior Russian officials of?

The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber approved arrest warrantswhere they are accused of:

• Directing attacks at civilian targets.
• Causing excessive collateral damage to civilians and civilian objects.
• Crime against humanity for inhuman acts.

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