The International Criminal Court on March 17, 2023 announced an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin on the war crime accusation of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children.

• The Hague-based ICC said it had also issued a warrant against Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s presidential commissioner for children’s rights, on similar charges.
• Moscow dismissed the orders as “void”. Russia is not a party to the ICC so it was unclear if or how Mr. Putin could ever end up in the dock.
• War-battered Ukraine welcomed the ICC announcement, with President Volodymyr Zelensky hailing the “historic decision”.