ICC issues arrest warrants against Russian long-range aviation and Black Sea Fleet commanders

According to Ukrinform, this is said in a press release published on the ICC website.

“Today, 5 March 2024, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court, composed of Judge Rosario Salvatore Aitala, Presiding, Judge Tomoko Akane and Judge Sergio Gerardo Ugalde Godinez (“ICC” or “Court”) issued warrants of arrest for two individuals, Mr Sergei Ivanovich Kobylash and Mr Viktor Nikolayevich Sokolov, in the context of the situation in Ukraine for alleged crimes committed from at least 10 October 2022 until at least 9 March 2023,” the document says.

It is noted that Sergei Kobylash, born on 1 April 1965, a Lieutenant General in the Russian Armed Forces, who at the relevant time was the Commander of the Long-Range Aviation of the Aerospace Force, and Viktor Sokolov, born 4 April 1962, an Admiral in the Russian Navy, who at the relevant time was the Commander of the Black Sea Fleet, are each allegedly responsible for the war crime of directing attacks at civilian objects and the war crime of causing excessive incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects, and the crime against humanity of inhumane.

The two warrants of arrest were issued following applications filed by the Prosecution. Pre-Trial Chamber II considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the two suspects bear responsibility for missile strikes carried out by the forces under their command against the Ukrainian electric infrastructure from at least 10 October 2022 until at least 9 March 2023. During this time-frame, there was an alleged campaign of strikes against numerous electric power plants and sub-stations, which were carried out by the Russian armed forces in multiple locations in Ukraine.

The content of the warrants is issued ‘secret’ in order to protect witnesses and to safeguard the investigations.

As Ukrinform reported, earlier the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova.

The Russian president and the president’s commissioner for children's rights are suspected of war crimes – unlawful deportation and displacement of the population, including children, from the occupied territory of Ukraine since at least February 24, 2022.