Arrest warrant issued for Putin

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday for crimes he committed in Ukraine.

Russia has repeatedly denied accusations that its forces have committed atrocities during its one-year-old invasion of its neighbor.

'NO MEANING FOR OUR COUNTRY'

The ICC issued the warrant for Putin's arrest on suspicion of unlawful deportation of children, and unlawful transfer of population from the territory of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

In the first reaction to the news from Moscow, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on her Telegram channel: "The decisions of the International Criminal Court have no meaning for our country, including from a legal point of view."

"Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and bears no obligations under it."

Earlier this week Reuters reported the court was expected to issue warrants, the first in its investigation into the Ukraine conflict.

Separately the court issued warrants for Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Russia's Commissioner for Children’s Rights, on the same charges.

(Reuters)