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International Criminal Court in The Hague: Arrest warrants against two Russian officers
Photo: Peter Dejong / AP
Two Russian officers are said to have committed war crimes in their country's war against Ukraine.
Lieutenant General Sergei Kobylash and Admiral Viktor Sokolov are wanted for targeted missile attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine from October 2022 to at least March 2023, the International Criminal Court in The Hague said.
He issued arrest warrants against the two military officers.
According to the court, 58-year-old Kobylasch is the commander of the long-distance aviation forces of the Russian Air Force.
Sokolov, 61, is an admiral in the Navy and was commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet during the period in question.
Both are said to be responsible for rocket attacks on power plants.
They are also accused of crimes against humanity.
The attacks caused serious harm to people.
The court found that there were "ample reasons to believe that the two suspects were responsible for rocket attacks carried out by the units under their command against the Ukrainian power grid."
The arrest warrants were not made public to protect witnesses and not jeopardize the investigation.
A year ago, the court issued international arrest warrants against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lwowa-Belowa, the Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights.
Both are accused of war crimes in connection with the abduction and forced adoption of Ukrainian children to Russia.
Russia does not recognize the court, but Ukraine has agreed to the jurisdiction of the criminal court.
Therefore, the prosecutor is allowed to investigate.
Chief prosecutor Karim Khan began investigations quickly after the Russian aggression began in spring 2022.
aeh/dpa