ICC Issues Order To Arrest Russian Military Figures, Ukrainian President: We Hope To See They Imprisoned

JAKARTA - Ukraine welcomes the move by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant against Russian military figures, with President Volodymyr Zelensky hoping to see them imprisoned and awaiting another detention warrant.

The ICC issued a warrant for detention of former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russian military Chief of Staff General Valery Gerasimov.

"I welcome the arrest warrant issued by today's International Criminal Court for two key figures in Russia's military leadership. Both are accused of heinous crimes against civilians in Ukraine during Russia's reckless bombing of Ukraine's important civilian infrastructure. These barbaric missile and drone attacks continue to kill people and cause damage throughout Ukraine," President Zelensky wrote in X, quoted by Ukrinform June 26.

President Zelensky noted that today's decision is a clear indication that justice for Russia's crimes against Ukrainians is inevitable, as this clearly shows no military rank or office door can protect Russian criminals from accountability.

"Every criminal involved in planning and carrying out this attack must know that justice will be upheld. And we look forward to seeing them behind bars," President Zelensky said.

An arrest warrant for Shoigu and Gerasimov was issued on Tuesday. Both are suspected of committing war crimes by directing attacks on civilian objects and causing excessive incidental losses to civilians, as well as crimes against humanity over "unhumane acts" in Ukraine, the ICC said in a statement.

"We look forward to more arrest warrants to eliminate Russia's sense of impunity," President Zelensky said.

"The feeling that has sparked Russian crimes for decades. Accountability is the only way to stop it," the President said.

The ICC said the alleged crime was linked to "a large number of attacks on a number of power plants and substations" carried out by Russia across Ukraine between October 2022 and March 2023.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Presidential Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak wrote, "Shoigu and Gerasimov bear individual responsibility" for the attack.

"This is an important decision. Everyone will be held accountable for crimes," he said.

It is known that the two warrants increased the total number of high-ranking Russian officials wanted for war crimes to four. Previously, the ICC issued an arrest warrant against President Vladimir Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova on the alleged scheme of deporting Ukrainian children to Russia.

"Every war criminal must be held accountable," said Ukrainian human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets.