In a major development, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin because of his actions in Ukraine. This came a day after a report from a United Nations-backed inquiry asserted Russian attacks against civilians in Ukraine, including systematic torture and killing in occupied regions, amount to war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity.
The sweeping human rights report, released a year to the day after a Russian airstrike on a theatre in Mariupol killed hundreds sheltering inside, marked a highly unusual condemnation of a member of the UN Security Council.
However, Moscow on multiple occasions denied charges that its forces have been committing war crimes in the war embattled nation for more than a year.
Ukraine welcomes step
Meanwhile, reacting to the major development, Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, applauded the ICC step and accused President Putin of committing war crimes against children.
"Wheels of Justice are turning: I applaud the ICC decision to issue arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova over the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children. International criminals will be held accountable for stealing children and other international crimes," he tweeted.
Meanwhile, Kremlin called it outrageous and unacceptable, and added, 'ICC decisions legally void".
