The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for two high-ranking Russian officials, former Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov, for their alleged roles in war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine.
The warrants, issued on June 25, accuse the officials of responsibility for missile strikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure between October 2022 and March 2023, resulting in excessive harm to civilians and damage to civilian objects.
While Russia is not a member of the ICC and has refused to cooperate, the court has previously issued a warrant for President Vladimir Putin. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has dismissed the ICC as not being a truly independent body of international justice.
The warrants mark a significant development in the international community’s efforts to hold Russian officials accountable for their actions in Ukraine.
