There are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Putin bears criminal responsibility for the transfer of children from occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia, which could be considered a war crime. The ICC announced this in a statement on Friday.
Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, has also had an arrest warrant issued against her.
How many children have been taken across the border to Russia is not yet clear, but according to an investigation carried out by several European public service companies, including Swedens radio, it is about at least 400 children.
Russia: “No significance”
The Office of the President of Ukraine hails the decision from the ICC in a statement. “This is just the beginning,” one writes on Telegram.
From the Russian side, the arrest warrant is completely dismissed.
“The decision of the International Criminal Court has no significance for our country, even from a legal point of view,” writes Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Telegram.
Neither Russia nor Ukraine are members of the ICC.
The ICC normally does not hold trials in anyone’s absence, nor do they have any police who can arrest Putin in Russia, Carl Fridh Kleberg points out.
– In this way, at least in the short term, it is a symbolic thing, but it is also a big symbolic thing and an important step.
Billström: Sweden can contribute
During a press conference on the NATO process on Friday, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) commented on the arrest warrant against Putin.
– I assume that everyone who has committed crimes in connection with Russia’s aggression against Ukraine will be brought to justice in due course.
Sweden can contribute within the framework of the country’s participation in the ICC, emphasized Billström.
– There is a long list of people who need to be held accountable for this and Sweden will do everything we can to make sure it turns out that way.