The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes committed in Ukraine, including forced deportation of children back to Russia.

According to the ICC press release, “(Putin) is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.”

Along with Putin, Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova is also warranted for arrest. Lvova-Belova is the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation. 

Together, they are allegedly responsible for the unlawful deportation of children from occupied areas of Ukraine, and have been so since Feb. 24, 2022, at the beginning of Russia’s invasion. 

Moscow immediately denied all accusations. 

This is the first time one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council has been indicted with an arrest by the international court. 

Though there is an arrest warrant, the ICC as a body cannot arrest Putin. Only 123 countries are part of the ICC, an agreement known as the Rome Statute. Neither Russia nor Ukraine are part of this international agreement, so Russia cannot legally be held accountable by the global body. 

Experts say that it is unlikely Putin will be in a place where he could be arrested, but these allegations could harm potential treaties, agreements and the ability to travel to certain countries. If he travels to a country part of the ICC, he could be arrested.

[email protected]