Summary

  • The International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine

  • The court accuses him of being responsible for forcibly deporting children from Ukraine to Russia after the invasion last year

  • ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan says children "can't be treated as spoils of war" and that it's possible Putin could stand trial

  • Russia, which does not recognise the ICC's jurisdiction, denies its forces have committed atrocities in Ukraine

  • Putin’s spokesman called the decision "outrageous and unacceptable" while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed it as "historic"

  • If Putin stays in Russia, he cannot be arrested - but he could be detained if he enters a country that wants to put him on trial

  • A warrant has also been issued for Russia's commissioner for children's rights

Live Reporting

Edited by Sarah Fowler

  1. Historic decision for us and international law - Ukrainian prosecutor

    Ukraine's prosecutor general has hailed the ICC's decision to issue an arrest warrant.

    "The world received a signal that the Russian regime is criminal and its leadership and henchmen will be held accountable," Andriy Kostin said in a statement on social media.

    "This is a historic decision for Ukraine and the entire system of international law."

  2. This is just the beginning, says Ukraine

    As we've just reported, judges at the International Criminal Court have issued arrest warrants for Russia's President, Vladmir Putin, and his Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova.

    Ukraine has responded, with presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak saying: "This is just the beginning."

    And Ukraine's prosecutor general has called it a "historic" decision.

    Stick with us as more reaction comes in.

  3. Forced deportation of over 16,000 children to Russia, Ukraine estimates

    Refugee childReuters

    Since Ukraine was invaded more than a year ago, its government estimates over 16,000 children are thought to have been transferred to Russia or Russia-controlled areas.

    Earlier, United Nations investigators said the forced deportation of Ukrainian children amounted to a war crime.

    The UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said there was evidence of the illegal transfer of hundreds of Ukrainian children to Russia.

    The Commission's report is categorical that Russia also committed other war crimes in Ukraine.

    They include attacks on hospitals, torture, rape and wilful killings.

    Russia has repeatedly denied committing atrocities in its invasion.

    Read more here

  4. Arrest warrants issued for Putin and his children's rights commissioner
    Breaking

    The president of the ICC says it has determined there are credible allegations

    Arrest warrants have been issued by judges at the International Criminal Court for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Commissioner for Children's Rights.

    In a statement, the ICC says they are suspected of the war crime of unlawfully deporting children, from Ukraine to Russia.

    There are reasonable grounds to believe President Putin bears individual criminal responsibility for such deportations, the statement says, adding it is alleged to have taken place since he launched the full- scale invasion of Ukraine last February.

    It says the same thing of his children's rights commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova.

    Stay with us as we bring you the latest reaction and analysis.