ICC issues arrest warrants for top Russian commanders over suspected war crimes in Ukraine

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for top Russian commanders Sergei Kobylash and Viktor Sokolov, on Tuesday (Mar 5) over alleged war crimes that they committed in Ukraine amid the ongoing war.

Kobylash, an army lieutenant general and Sokolov, a navy admiral, were named as the ICC issued a second round of arrest warrants against Russian officials related to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Hague-based ICC, in a statement, said that they have reasonable grounds to believe that the two were responsible for “missile strikes carried out by the forces under their command against the Ukrainian electric infrastructure from at least 10 October 2022 until at least 9 March 2023”.

It added, “During this timeframe, there was an alleged campaign of strikes against numerous electric power plants and sub-stations, which were carried out by the Russian armed forces in multiple locations in Ukraine.”

The court also noted that these attacks caused civilian harm and damage which was clearly excessive.

However, since Russia does not recognise the ICC it is highly likely that the Russian commanders will ever be deported to face the charges.

In 2022, the ICC also issued an arrest for President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s presidential commissioner for children’s rights.