The International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant against former Russian Defence Minister

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in Hague, Netherlands, announced its judges have issued arrest warrant against the former Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. 

Shoigu was in charge of the Russian army when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Two years later, in May 2024, Shoigu was succeeded by Andrey Belousov. 

Chief of the General Staff of the Russian army Valery Gerasimov. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry.

The ICC arrest warrant has also been issued against the current Chief of the General Staff of the Russian army Valery Gerasimov. 

“…each allegedly responsible for the war crime of directing attacks at civilian objects … “ – the statement on the ICC website says – “…and the war crime of causing excessive incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian object…, and the crime against humanity of inhumane acts … There are reasonable grounds to believe they bear individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes for having committed the acts jointly and/or through others …ordering the commission of the crimes…and/or … for their failure to exercise proper control over the forces under their command …”

Earlier this month European Council approved new sanctions targeting the Russian economy in the energy, finance, and trade sectors as a measure to “prevent Putin from accomplishing his plans to destroy Ukraine”. 

Among the sanctioned individuals was also another high-ranking military official – the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Aleksandr Moiseyev. 

Last year the ICC issued the arrest warrant against the President of Russia Vladimir Putin.