Russian Leaders Accused of War Crimes, Arrest Warrants Issued

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Russia's former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and its Chief of Staff General Valery Gerasimov.

The court's accusations against Shoigu and Gerasimov include war crimes and crimes against humanity, specifically citing inhumane acts. Judges supporting the warrants indicated there is substantial evidence suggesting the suspects "intentionally caused great suffering or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health" of Ukrainian civilians.

The ICC detailed that the warrants, issued on Monday, are based on reasonable grounds to believe the men are responsible for "missile strikes carried out by the Russian armed forces against the Ukrainian electric infrastructure" from October 10, 2022, to at least March 9, 2023. During this period, the Russian military allegedly conducted numerous strikes on power plants and substations across Ukraine, resulting in widespread civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.

This marks the third instance where the global court has sought warrants against senior Russian leaders for their involvement in attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine.

Under the leadership of Shoigu and Gerasimov, the Russian military has been accused of launching waves of missile and drone strikes on Ukraine, causing thousands of deaths and significant damage to the nation's energy systems and other critical infrastructure. Moscow has consistently claimed its targets were military facilities, despite frequent civilian casualties. The ICC emphasized that the missile attacks in question targeted civilian sites.

However, the immediate detention of Shoigu and Gerasimov appears unlikely, as Russia is not a member of the ICC, does not recognize its jurisdiction, and refuses to surrender suspects.

Previously, the ICC issued a warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abduction of children from Ukraine.

In March this year, the court also issued arrest warrants for two high-ranking Russian military officers on charges related to attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, deemed part of a state policy.

Shoigu, 69, was seen as a pivotal figure in Putin's decision to invade Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The invasion, initially expected to quickly subdue Ukraine, instead spurred a robust Ukrainian defense that dealt significant blows to Russian forces.

Putin replaced Shoigu as defense minister in May. His deputy, Timur Ivanov, and other senior officers were arrested on corruption charges, and several defense ministry officials were dismissed. Shoigu retained a prominent position as secretary of Russia's Security Council.

Gerasimov, 68, who has served as chief of the general staff since 2012, continues to oversee Russian military operations in Ukraine, maintaining his position amid the turmoil.

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