Kremlin reacts after ICC arrest warrants against Russian military officials

The Kremlin reacted after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday against Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for war crimes and crimes against alleged humanity in Ukraine.

“We do not recognize the jurisdiction of this court,” Russian presidency spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

“We consider (these mandates) absurd,” he added.

Russia is not one of the signatory states to the Rome Statute, founder of the ICC. Furthermore, the Court does not have its own police force to execute arrest warrants.

But its approximately 124 member countries are, in theory, required to arrest anyone against whom an arrest warrant is issued if they travel to their territory.