Betül Yürük
14 March 2023•Update: 14 March 2023
NEW YORK
The International Criminal Court (ICC) will open two war crimes cases against Russia linked to its aggression in Ukraine, the New York Times reported Monday.
The Hague-based court will seek arrest warrants for several Russians accused of abducting Ukrainian children and targeting civilian infrastructure, the Times said, citing officials with knowledge of the decision who were not authorized to speak.
The cases will be the first international charges since the conflict began in Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
The ICC launched an investigation into war crimes in Ukraine last March.
Russia has denied accusations of war crimes. The warrants would unlikely lead to trials as Moscow is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC, and is not expected to hand the accused over to the court.
