Asger Risom
Global scrutiny remains as Russia’s president continues to face war crimes charges tied to the Ukraine invasion.
Two years after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, the legal and diplomatic ramifications continue to echo across global politics. The warrant, first made public in March 2023, accused Putin of war crimes over the deportation of Ukrainian children and the unlawful transfer of civilians into Russian territory—charges the Kremlin has consistently denied.
Ongoing accusations of child deportations
The case centers on Russia’s forced relocation of children from occupied Ukrainian regions, a practice that the ICC says violates the Geneva Conventions. The warrant was issued alongside a separate one for Maria Alekseievna Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, who faces identical accusations.
The ICC accused both officials of the unlawful deportation of children and the unlawful transfer of people from the territory of Ukraine to the Russian Federation, as reported by Digi24.
Prosecutor Karim Khan emphasized that the court’s priority was crimes against children and attacks on civilian infrastructure, issues he raised during multiple visits to Ukraine as part of the investigation.
Limited enforcement, lasting impact
Though the ICC holds no power to arrest Putin directly, its 2023 decision severely limited his international mobility.
The Russian president now risks detention in any of the 123 countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute, the court’s founding treaty. While nations such as Russia, the United States, and China do not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, many of Russia’s former diplomatic partners do.
ICC prosecutor Khan said at the time:
“We are investigating crimes against children and targeting of civilian infrastructure.
Despite Russia’s claims of innocence and its rejection of the court’s authority, the warrant has intensified global condemnation and amplified calls for accountability. Though no trial is on the horizon, the legal weight of the charges continues to shape how world leaders—and the public—engage with Moscow.