Russian President Vladimir Putin's arrest warrant issued over war crime allegations

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The court has concentrated its allegations against him on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. The court claims he is guilty of war crimes.
It claims that beginning on February 24, 2022, when Russia began its full-scale invasion, atrocities were committed in Ukraine. The charges have been refuted by Russia, which has called the warrants "outrageous".

The ICC can only exercise jurisdiction within its member countries, and Russia is not one of them, therefore it is highly unlikely that much will result from the action. The ICC also lacks the authority to detain individuals.

Reuters reported earlier this week that the court was going to issue the first round of warrants as part of its probe into the situation in Ukraine.

Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Russia's Commissioner for Children's Rights, was also the subject of separate arrest orders from the same court on the same accusations.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) asserted in a statement that it had good reason to suspect that both Mr. Putin and others were involved in the direct commission of the crimes. The failure to exercise his presidential authority to halt the deportation of children was another charge leveled against him.