ICC issue arrest warrant against President Vladimir Putin

Di International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday 18 March issue arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin as dem accuse am say im dey responsible for war crimes committed for Ukraine.

Moscow don repeatedly deny accusations say dia forces commit atrocities during dia one-year invasion of dia neighbour.

Di ICC issue di warrant for Putin arrest on suspicion of unlawful deportation of pikin dem and unlawful transfer of pipo from di territory of Ukraine to di Russian Federation.

Di court also tok say Russian leader fail to exercise im rights to stop odas wey bin deport pikin dem.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan open one investigation into possible war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide for Ukraine one year ago. During four trips to Ukraine, im highlight say im dey look at alleged crimes against pikin dem and di targeting of civilian infrastructure.

One Russian foreign ministry tok-tok pesin say di arrest warrants dey meaningless.

"Di decisions of di International Criminal Court no get meaning for our kontri, including from legal point of view," Maria Zakharova write on Telegram.

Dis na sake of say despite di warrants, di ICC no get powers to arrest suspects, and fit only exercise jurisdiction within kontris wey dey sign up to di agreement to set up di chop.

Russia no be signatory to dat agreement - so e dey unlikely say both of dem go dey extradited.

However, di warrants fit affect dem in oda ways, like, dem fit dey unable to travel.

"Russia no dey part of di Rome Statute of di International Criminal Court and dem no bear obligations under am,” Zakharova tok.

Russian opposition leaders welcome di announcement. Ivan Zhdanov wey be close ally of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny tweet "wow!".

"An arrest warrant for Putin! Yes, a symbolic step. But how important e be!" Oga Zhdanov write.

Ukraine Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin say di decision dey "historic for Ukraine and di entire international law system", while Ukraine presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak laud di decision as "only di beginning".

Jonathan Leader Maynard, one lecturer for international politics for King's College London tok say di decision to charge Oga Putin no surprise am.

E tell di BBC say di court bin run open investigation into possible war crimes since March 2022 and di strength of di evidence mean say e dey "hard to see how di ICC fit ultimately avoid issuing arrest warrants."

Oga Maynard similarly tok say Putin dey unlikely to dey too bothered by di charges, as di ICC "rely on cooperation from goments to actually arrest pipo, and di Russian goment obviously no go cooperate in dis respect".

But im tok say e fit impact Oga Putin freedom to travel around di world as oda ICC signatory nations fit assist wit im arrest.