Kremlin on Putin's arrest warrant: raising the question is unacceptable

The Administration of the President of Russia considers the warrant for Vladimir Putin's arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to be legally null and void.

Source: RIA Novosti and Meduza, with reference to RBC

Details: Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "We consider the very raising of the question outrageous and unacceptable. Russia, like a number of other countries, does not recognise this court’s jurisdiction, and accordingly, any decisions of this sort are null and void for Russia from a legal point of view."

Maria Zakharova, the official representative of Russia’s Foreign Ministry, wrote that Russia does not cooperate with the ICC, and "possible ‘prescriptions’ for arrest that come from the International Court will be legally null and void for us."

Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s children's ombudsman, for whose arrest the ICC has also issued a warrant in connection with the Russians’ actions in Ukraine, said, "It’s lovely that the international community has appreciated the work we do to help the children of our country, that we don’t leave them in the zone of military operations, that we take them out, that we create good conditions for them, surround them with loving and caring people. There have been sanctions from all these countries against me, even Japan; now there’s a warrant for my arrest; I wonder what will happen next. Well, we’re getting on with our work."

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, tweeted, "No need to explain where this paper should be used" [followed by a toilet roll emoji – ed.].

Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, called the ICC’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Putin outrageous and illegal: "We do not recognise the ICC’s decisions. They are illegal."

Konstantin Kosachev, deputy speaker of Russia’s Federation Council, said that the Russian president, as the highest-ranking official, "has immunity from foreign and international criminal jurisdiction" and "cannot be arrested by any foreign authority".

Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the Russian Federation's State Duma, said, "We regard any attacks on the President of the Russian Federation as aggression against our country."

Andrey Klishas, Chairman of the Committee of the Federation Council on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, believes that "by making such an absurd decision, the ICC has embarked on the path of self-destruction", and that Russia should immediately issue a warrant for the arrest of all ICC judges.

MP Vladimir Dzhabarov also stated that it would be good if the Basmanny Court in Moscow issued an arrest warrant for all members of the ICC.

Leonid Slutsky, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, said he thought the ICC should issue arrest warrants for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, "his pack, and their Western backers".

Sergei Tsekov, an "MP" from annexed Crimea, did not miss the opportunity to say that the ICC’s decision demonstrates the "worthlessness and uselessness" of the West’s legal institutions, and that the warrant for Putin's arrest "will have no consequences".

Background: On 17 March 2023, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Affairs, in view of the situation in Ukraine.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!