Kremlin Says Putin Arrest Warrant 'Void' as Russia Doesn't Recognize ICC

A spokesperson for Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, dismissed an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday, March 17, saying Russia didn’t recognize the ICC so the warrant was “null and void.”

“Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and does not bear obligations under it,” said Zakharova, according to a Google translation.

Earlier on Friday, ICC judges issued warrants for the arrest of Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, on war crimes charges including the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. Credit: Russian Foreign Ministry via Storyful