The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova, for allegedly kidnapping and stealing Ukrainian children as part of their 'Adoption by Russian Families' program and propaganda.
The ICC said there “are reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Putin bears individual criminal responsibility” for his alleged crimes, and for “his failure to exercise control properly over civilian and military subordinates who committed the acts.”
According to the country's statistics, hundreds of Ukrainian children have disappeared since Vladimir Putin's unprovoked invasion in February of 2022.
How did Putin and Russia respond to the news of the arrest warrant?
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “We consider the very posing of the question outrageous and unacceptable. Russia, like a number of states, does not recognize the jurisdiction of this court and, accordingly, any decisions of this kind are null and void for the Russian Federation from the point of view of law."
According to Russian state news agency TASS, Russian official Lvova-Belova said--presumably in a mocking gesture--it was “great” that the international community admired the work she does for children.
It is a bold move by the ICC, but ultimately one that does not carry much weight in the eyes of the Kremlin. They're certainly not trembling in their boots.
Like the U.S. and China, Russia is not a member of the International Criminal Court. In order to stand trial, Putin must be arrested outside of Russia, which is unlikely to happen.
Thanks for tuning in! Check out our awesome liberty-themed apparel before you go!
