ICC arrest warrants for Shoigu and Gerasimov: Implications for Ukraine and how it will affect russia

The International Criminal Court judges have issued arrest warrants for russia’s Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. They are suspected of committing war crimes, including attacks on civilian targets, causing excessive harm to civilians, and crimes against humanity. This decision is seen as a diplomatic boost for Ukraine.

Mykhailo Savva, a member of the expert council of the Center for Civil Liberties and a Doctor of Political Sciences, shared this perspective during a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform. 

“Diplomatically, this strengthens Ukraine’s position. An international judicial body has recognized these attacks as crimes with a very high standard of proof. The ICC had previously issued arrest warrants for the commander of the russian long-range aviation and the commander of the Black Sea Fleet. Now, the warrants target the former Minister of Defense and the current Chief of the General Staff of russia. This means these individuals will be sought globally until their death and could be detained. Their freedom of movement is significantly restricted following this order. This decision clearly establishes that the ongoing shelling constitutes a crime,” he emphasized.

Savva also discussed the potential impact of the ICC’s decisions on russia’s actions.

“Consider the first two warrants for putin and the Children’s Rights Commissioner Lvova-Belova. Following those, the process of returning Ukrainian children from russia became much easier. In my opinion, this is a direct result of the ICC warrants,” added Savva.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news