Meeting room of the International Criminal Court. The ICC issued arrest warrants for the commander of the Russian long-range aviation and the commander of the Black Sea Fleet International Law
In connection with crimes allegedly committed in the context of the war in Ukraine between 10 October 2022 and 9 March 2023, the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for two individuals: Lieutenant General Sergei Ivanovich Kobylash, Commander long-range aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces, and Admiral Viktor Nikolaevich Sokolov, commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
Each is allegedly responsible for the war crimes of targeting civilian objects, causing excessive unintentional harm to civilians, or damaging civilian objects. Kobylash and Sokolov are also suspected of crimes against humanity.
“There are reasonable grounds to believe that they bear individual criminal responsibility for the above-mentioned crimes,” the International Criminal Court said in a press release. Specifically, the two commanders are accused of committing criminal acts together or with the assistance of others, ordering the commission of crimes, and/or failing to exercise proper control over the forces under their command.
“I have repeatedly stressed that those responsible for acts that affect innocent civilians or protected objects must be aware that such conduct is subject to a set of rules reflected in international humanitarian law,” said ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan. – War has its own rules. These rules are mandatory for everyone without exception.”
War has its own rules. These rules are mandatory for everyone without exception
The prosecutor expressed gratitude to many partners whose support made it possible to advance in collecting the necessary evidence, including the Prosecutor General’s Office Ukraine. Karim Khan also emphasized that he will continue to “strive for cooperation with the Russian Federation in connection with the situation in Ukraine.”
Two arrest warrants were issued based on requests from the Prosecutor. The suspects, according to the Court, are responsible for missile attacks carried out by forces under their command on the Ukrainian electrical power infrastructure.
The press release also states that warrants in such situations are usually issued under the heading “secret” for the purpose of protecting witnesses and conducting investigations. However, in this case, the Court took into account that public awareness of the issuance of warrants can help prevent further crimes. The Pre-Trial Chamber believes that making public the existence of arrest warrants is in the interests of justice.
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The International Criminal Court is independent permanent judicial body. It was established in accordance with the Rome Statute, signed on July 17, 1998 at a conference in the Italian capital. Its competence extends to all the most serious international crimes committed after July 1, 2002, the date of entry into force of the Rome Statute. The court’s jurisdiction is limited to crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression.
In the first twenty years of its activity, the ICC heard a number of cases of great importance for international justice and concerning such serious crimes as the use of child soldiers, destruction of cultural heritage, sexual violence and attacks on innocent civilians.