The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for ex-defence minister Sergei Shoigu and army chief Valery Gerasimov calling it “absurd” and lacking legal authority.
The Hague-based court said Tuesday it had issued arrest warrants for the pair over a barrage of Russian missile strikes against Ukrainian energy targets and civilian sites that the ICC said could be classed as “war crimes”.
Russia is not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), but the arrest warrant requires the more than 120 states to arrest Shoigu or Gerasimov if they enter their territory.
The ICC last year issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and his children’s ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova over the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia and Russian-controlled territory.
Shoigu was removed as defence minister last month in a major shake-up of Russia’s military leadership, moving to become secretary of the Security Council.
Gerasimov is chief of the General Staff and has overall operational command of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
