THE HAGUE, Netherlands, June 25, (AP): The International Criminal Court said Tuesday it has issued arrest warrants for Russia’s former defense minister and its military chief of staff for attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine, the third time the global court has issued warrants for senior Russian leaders.
The court is accusing former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of staff Gen Valery Gerasimov of war crimes and the crime against humanity of inhumane acts.
Judges who approved the prosecutors’ request for arrest warrants said the suspects are charged with inhumane acts because there is evidence they "intentionally caused great suffering or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health” of civilians in Ukraine.
The court said in a statement that warrants were issued Monday because judges considered there were reasonable grounds to believe that the men are responsible for "missile strikes carried out by the Russian armed forces against the Ukrainian electric infrastructure” from Oct 10, 2022, until at least March 9, 2023.
"During this time frame, a large number of strikes against numerous electric power plants and substations were carried out by the Russian armed forces in multiple locations in Ukraine,” the court added.
Under the leadership of Shoigu and Gerasimov, the Russian military has launched waves of missile and drone strikes on Ukraine that have killed thousands and damaged the country’s energy system and other vital infrastructure. Moscow has insisted that it only has targeted military facilities despite daily casualties in civilian areas.
The court said missile attacks covered in the warrant allegedly targeted civilian objects. They added that in the case of any installations that could have been considered military targets "the expected incidental civilian harm and damage would have been clearly excessive to the anticipated military advantage.”
Details of the warrants were kept under seal to protect witnesses, the court said.