ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Russian Air Force Commander and Black Sea Fleet Commander
Kyiv • UNN
The ICC has issued arrest warrants for the Russian Air Force Commander and the Black Sea Fleet Commander for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine, including attacks on civilian objects and infrastructure between October 2022 and March 23.
Today, on March 5, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian Long-Range Aviation Commander Sergei Kobylash and Russian Black Sea Fleet Commander Viktor Sokolov. This was reported by UNN with reference to the ICC.
Details
The arrest warrants were reportedly issued in "the context of the situation in Ukraine for alleged crimes committed from at least October 10, 2022 to at least March 9, 2023.
Kobylash and Sokolov are suspected of war crimes: attacks on Ukrainian civilian objects with excessive harm to civilians, as well as crimes against humanity.
As noted, the ICC has reasonable grounds to believe that they bear individual criminal responsibility for these crimes.
The two arrest warrants were issued on motions filed by the prosecution, the ICC said.
It is also noted that there are grounds to believe that both suspects are responsible for missile strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure between at least October 10, 2022 and March 9, 2023.
The strikes were directed against civilian objects, and the expected incidental and collateral damage to civilians was clearly excessive compared to the expected military advantage, the court said in a statement.
