Kremlin: International Criminal Court decision legally irrelevant
The Kremlin has declared the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague against President Vladimir Putin for war crimes in Ukraine to be legally void. “We consider the wording of the question to be outrageous and unacceptable,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. “Russia – like a number of other states – does not recognize the jurisprudence of this court. Accordingly, decisions of this kind are irrelevant for Russia from a legal point of view.”
Peskov declined to comment on whether an imminent arrest of the Kremlin chief in countries that recognize the court could affect Putin’s travel plans, according to Russian agencies. “I have nothing more to say on the subject.”
Independent Russian media commented that the arrest warrant could limit Putin’s ability to travel. Many countries, including Russia’s allies, recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and have ratified the relevant statute. “In case of Putin’s visit to any of these countries, the local authorities will have to arrest him,” lawyer Sergey Golubok told the MO portal.