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ICC rulings, arrest warrants legally null, void for Russia, diplomat says

The ICC earlier published a press release to announce that it had issued arrest warrants for Kobylash and Sokolov

SIRIUS /Federal Territory/, March 6. /TASS/. Rulings handed down by the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) are not binding for Russia and are legally null and void, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"Both Russia and many other countries are not parties to the so-called court. The latest bogus pronouncement of this body has no force for us and is legally null and void," the diplomat said at a briefing on the sidelines of the World Youth Festival, commenting on the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants for Sergey Kobylash, commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ Long-Range Aviation, and Russian Black Sea Fleet Commander Viktor Sokolov.

The ICC earlier published a press release to announce that it had issued arrest warrants for Kobylash and Sokolov. The document contends that both Russian commanders are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the conflict in Ukraine. The court pointed out that it was referring to missile attacks by Russian forces under their command on Ukraine’s electrical grid infrastructure from at least October 10, 2022 to at least March 9, 2023.

On March 17, 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova on charges of the alleged "illegal deportation" of Ukrainian children.

On March 20, 2023, Russia’s Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against ICC Prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan and judges Rosario Salvatore Aitala, Sergio Gerardo Ugalde Godinez and Tomoko Akane for committing knowingly illegal actions, as there were no grounds for pressing criminal charges against the Russian president and children’s ombudsman. In May, charges were brought against Karim Khan and Rosario Aitala, and both were put on the wanted list.

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