Russia dismisses the ICC warrants as an insignificant provocation

Russia on Wednesday rejected arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against two top Russian commanders as a spurious provocation that has no legal significance for the country.

The International Criminal Court on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for Sergei Kobylash and Viktor Sokolov for rocket attacks on Ukrainian electricity infrastructure.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that because Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, Moscow does not recognize the warrants.

“We are not party to the statute, we do not recognize it,” Peskov told reporters when asked about the ICC warrants.

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said the arrest warrants were only aimed at discrediting Russia.

“The latest spurious emissions of this body have no value for us and are legally insignificant,” Zakharova told reporters.

In March last year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and Russian Children’s Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova on charges of war crimes related to the abduction of Ukrainian children.

At the time, the Kremlin considered the mandates outrageous. Russia denies war crimes in Ukraine.

Ukraine has accused Russia of widespread war crimes. Last year the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said Russia had taken inadequate measures to protect civilians and that there were signs of war crimes.

Russia says Ukraine committed war crimes during the conflict, which Moscow dates back to 2014, including indiscriminate bombing of areas of eastern Ukraine.

The International Criminal Court said Tuesday that attacks on Ukraine’s power grid caused harm to civilians that would clearly be excessive compared to any intended military advantage.

The exact details of the specific incidents and possible victims are being kept secret to protect witnesses and safeguard the ongoing investigation, the court statement added.

Source: Terra

Rose

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