Russian General and Former Defense Minister Face ICC War Crimes Arrest Warrants
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued war crimes-related arrest warrants for a Russian general, Valery Gerasimov, and former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The court alleges their involvement in multiple war crimes, including causing harm to civilians and attacking civilian objects. They are also charged with crimes against humanity.
According to the ICC, there are grounds to believe that the suspects are responsible for missile strikes by the Russian armed forces on Ukrainian electric infrastructure from October 2022 to November 2023. The Russian government has not commented on the warrants but has called them part of a ‘hybrid war’ against Russia.
Officials in Ukraine have expressed support for the ICC warrants, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stating that they signal justice for Russian crimes against Ukrainians. Ukrainian government human rights official Dmytro Lubinets emphasized the need for joint efforts to speed up the arrest of the Russian officials.
Earlier this year, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian commanders for missile strikes on Ukrainian electricity infrastructure. The Kremlin and Russia have denied any war crimes in Ukraine, while accusing Ukraine of committing war crimes since 2014.
The ICC’s actions have caused controversy, with the United States, Israel, and several other countries not being members of the statute. In May, the ICC considered issuing arrest warrants for Israeli leaders for alleged crimes during the Gaza conflict, leading to strong condemnation from Israel and the United States.
