International Criminal Court in The Hague March 17 gave to arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is suspected of illegal deportation of children from the occupied territories of Ukraine to Russia. As the court explained, there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Putin is personally responsible for this. An arrest warrant has also been issued for the Russian ombudsman for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova. Her called one of the key figures in the system of removal of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories. Meduza collects reactions to the decision of the court in The Hague.
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How did they react in Russia?
Dmitry Peskov
Press Secretary of the President of Russia
We consider the very wording of the question to be outrageous and unacceptable, Russia, like a number of states, does not recognize the jurisdiction of this court, and therefore any such decision is null and void for the Federation of Russia from the point of view of the law.
Maria Zakharova
Official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia
Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and has no obligations under it. Russia does not cooperate with this body, and any “receipts” for arrest from the International Court of Justice will be legally null and void for us.
Maria Lvova-Belova
Commissioner for Children’s Rights to the President of Russia
What I want to say: first of all, it’s great that the international community has appreciated the work of helping the children of our country, that we are not leaving them in the war zone, that we are taking them out, that we are creating good conditions for them, surround them with loving and caring people. There were sanctions from all countries, even from Japan, against me, now there is an arrest warrant, I wonder what will happen next – well, we continue to work.
Dmitry Medvedev
Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin. No need to explain HOW to use this paper 🧻
Andrei Klisas
Chairman of the Constitutional Committee of the Council of the Federation
The ICC mandate has no legal basis or effect. However, the jurisdiction of the ICC is not recognized not only by Russia, but also by a certain number of States, members of the UN Security Council. Having taken such an absurd decision, the ICC embarked on the path of self-destruction.
Leonid Slutsky
Leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs
Terry double standards, complete politicization and discredit of the ICC. Such accusations are simply monstrous, they do not even fall under the definition of “absurd”. The Children’s Ombudsman and the Russian authorities managed to save a large number of children, many of whom lost their homes, their parents or were injured in bombings by Ukrainian neo-Nazis. And now they have a future in their own country, in Russia.
Vladimir Jabarov
First Vice-President of the International Committee of the Council of the Federation
It would be good if, for example, the Basmanny court in Moscow issued a warrant for the arrest of all the members of the “international court in The Hague” for the fact that, by their unlawful acts of provocation [они разжигают] situation in the world. I am sure that the members of this “tribunal” themselves understand the absurdity of their steps, but the neo-Nazis of the EU and NATO are pressuring them, and they are forced to make decisions that are void and not avenues from a legal point of view see.
Margaret Simonian
Editor-in-chief of the Russian public television company RT
I would like to see a country which, by decision of The Hague, will arrest Putin. Minutes up to eight. Or how long it will take to fly to his capital.
Vyacheslav Volodin
Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation
Yankees, don’t touch Putin! The absurdity heard from The Hague says one thing: the West is hysterical. Documents from the foreign court in The Hague do not apply to Russia. <…>
Washington and Brussels understand that if there is Putin, there is Russia. That’s why they attack him. <...> We regard any attack on the President of the Russian Federation as an attack on our country.
How did they react in Ukraine
Andrei Kostin
Prosecutor General of Ukraine
Now the Russian president has official status as a suspect in an international crime – the illegal deportation and removal of Ukrainian children. <…> This means the outside must be arrested and brought to justice. And world leaders will think three times before shaking his hand or sitting down at the negotiating table with him. The world has received a signal that the Russian regime is criminal and that its leaders and henchmen will be held accountable.
This is a historic decision for Ukraine and the whole system of international law. <…>
Andrei Ermak
Head of the Cabinet of the President of Ukraine
This is just the beginning. <…> [Путина и Львову-Белову] are suspected of illegal forcible transfer of Ukrainian children. This means that they can be arrested on the territory of countries that have ratified the Rome Statute. <…>
More than 16,000 cases of forced expulsion of children have been registered in the proceedings under investigation in Ukraine. Real numbers can be several times higher. 308 children were returned. It’s quite a difficult process, but we’re working on it.
Dmitry Kuleba
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
The wheels of justice are turning: I applaud the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova in connection with the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children. International criminals will be held accountable for child abduction and other international crimes.
How did the world react?
Stephane Dujarric
Spokesperson for the UN Secretary General
The Secretary-General of the United Nations will meet with whomever he sees fit to solve the problems that arise for him.
Joseph Borell
High Representative of the European Union
The International Criminal Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin for the war crime of unlawful deportation and shipment of children from Ukraine to Russia is the start of a process to bring those responsible for justice. We appreciate and support the work of the ICC. There can be no impunity.