The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Sergei Shoigu, former Russian defense minister, and General Valery Gerasimov, on Tuesday, June 25.
As per Reuters, they are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity for their roles in missile strikes against Ukraine's electric infrastructure from October 10, 2022, to March 9, 2023.
The ICC stated that there are "reasonable grounds" to believe Shoigu and Gerasimov are responsible for these attacks.
The strikes, targeting civilian areas, are considered to have caused significant suffering and injuries.
However, Russia, which does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, dismissed the warrants as "null and void."
The Russian government maintains that its strikes targeted military facilities and that Ukraine’s energy infrastructure is a legitimate military target.
This is the third time the ICC has accused senior Russian leaders of war crimes.
The court previously issued a warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for the abduction of children from Ukraine.
However, Russia’s non-membership in the ICC and refusal to hand over suspects means there is little chance Shoigu or Gerasimov will face trial.
enwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the ICC’s action, describing the missile and drone strikes as "heinous crimes against civilians."
He added, "These barbaric missile and drone strikes continue to kill people and inflict damage across Ukraine. Every criminal involved in the planning and execution of these strikes must know that justice will be served. And we do hope to see them behind bars."
Despite the recall of Shoigu from his position as defence minister by Putin in May, he remains influential in Russian politics.
Gerasimov, meanwhile, continues to oversee military operations in Ukraine.
The ICC emphasised that the decision to issue these warrants reflects its commitment to protecting civilians and pursuing justice for war crimes.
However, the details of the warrants are sealed to protect witnesses involved in the case.
