The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the commander of the long-range aviation of the Russian Federation and the commander of the Black Sea Fleet

International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. Photo: AP

The International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for the commander of the Russian long-range aviation Serhii Kobylash and the head of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation Viktor Sokolov.

This is reported by the International Criminal Court.

It is noted that the corresponding decision was approved within the framework of the investigation of potential war crimes committed by the Russian occupiers on the territory of Ukraine, committed at least in the period from October 10, 2022 to March 9, 2023.

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Russian commanders are responsible for the war crimes of attacking civilian objects and causing excessive casual harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects. They are also charged with a crime against humanity, the court ruled.

The ICC adds that «there are reasonable grounds to believe» that they bear individual criminal responsibility for the above-mentioned crimes.

The arrest warrant from the ICC means that Russian commanders can now be detained and brought to trial in the 124 countries that have ratified the Rome Statute. Ukraine only signed it, but did not ratify it.

Earlier it was reported that the explosions on the territory of the Saki military airfield led to a drop in the capabilities of the Russian naval aviation. Now the Russian side will not consider the occupied Crimea as its «safe rear».