The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, accusing them of international crimes, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The charges specifically relate to directing attacks on civilian objects and causing excessive harm to civilians or civilian infrastructure.

 

The ICC’s decision, announced on Tuesday, has not yet elicited a response from Russian authorities. However, Ukrainian officials have expressed approval of the move. Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, hailed the ICC's decision as a significant step towards justice, asserting that "sooner or later, a just punishment will overtake every war criminal." Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, emphasized that Shoigu and Gerasimov are being held "individually responsible," adding, "This is an important decision. Everyone will be held accountable for evil."

 

The alleged crimes pertain to numerous strikes on electric power plants and substations across Ukraine, carried out by Russia between October 2022 and at least March 2023. The panel of three judges who issued the arrest warrants concluded that Shoigu and Gerasimov ordered strikes on civilian objects, actions that constitute war crimes under international humanitarian law. The judges noted that while some targets might have been relevant to Russia's military campaign, the harm to civilians was excessive relative to any military advantage.

 

These warrants add to the ICC's previous actions against Russian officials, bringing the total number of top Russian figures wanted for war crimes to four. Earlier, the ICC issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova, accusing them of orchestrating the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.

 

The ICC's move marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, underscoring the international community’s effort to hold individuals accountable for wartime actions that violate humanitarian laws. The warrants against Shoigu and Gerasimov highlight the ICC's commitment to addressing alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity amid the devastating impact of the conflict on civilians in Ukraine.

 

Credit: CNN 2024-06-25

 

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Said generals are not doing well inside Russia either. Putin has already removed both of them. Shoigu was placed in a dummy role where he can watch Putin jail his staff and uncover evidence. This may be Putin's way of letting Shoigu ponder his coming fate, like a cat playing with the mouse.

 

I wonder if Shoigu and Gerasimov feel they might get a better deal outside of Russia. Remember Putin had Prigozhin blown out of the sky. 

 

2 minutes ago, rabas said:

Said generals are not doing well inside Russia either. Putin has already removed both of them. Shoigu was placed in a dummy role where he can watch Putin jail his staff and uncover evidence. This may be Putin's way of letting Shoigu ponder his coming fate, like a cat playing with the mouse.

 

I wonder if Shoigu and Gerasimov feel they might get a better deal outside of Russia. Remember Putin had Prigozhin blown out of the sky. 

 

 

Putin removed only Shoigu. Gerasimov is still the head of the military operations.

3 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

 

Putin removed only Shoigu. Gerasimov is still the head of the military operations.

 

Yes, I was wrong. Thanks.

 

I was thinking of the arrest of Gerasimov's deputy Lieutenant-General Vadim Shamarin

https://www.ft.com/content/735f2750-a4e9-43c4-8ccc-5720ec9f37b2

 

I'm sure they are quaking in their boots, given the response to the ICC arrest warrants for citizens of a different country involved in a different conflict.