ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Two Russian Leaders

The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced in a statement today, Tuesday, that it "has issued arrest warrants for prominent Russian military leaders Sergei Ivanovich Kubylash and Viktor Nikolaevich Sokolov in connection with allegations of war crimes in Ukraine." The ICC, based in The Hague, stated that "there are reasonable grounds to believe that the suspects are responsible for missile strikes carried out by forces under their command on Ukraine's electrical infrastructure from October 10, 2022, to at least March 9, 2023." The court added that "the incidental damage to civilians and the destruction resulting from the attacks was clearly excessive in relation to any expected military advantage." The Ukrainian prosecution has already investigated potential war crimes following a campaign of airstrikes during the winter that targeted the country's energy infrastructure and public facilities. Russia denies deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, stating that its attacks "aim to reduce Kyiv's ability to fight."