“On 24 June 2024, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (‘ICC’ or ‘Court’), composed of Judge Rosario Salvatore Aitala, Presiding, Judge Sergio Gerardo Ugalde Godínez and Judge Haykel Ben Mahfoudh, issued warrants of arrest for two individuals, Mr Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu and Mr Valery Vasilyevich Gerasimov, in the context of the situation in Ukraine for alleged international crimes committed from at least 10 October 2022 until at least 9 March 2023.”

“Mr Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu, born on 21 May 1955, Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation at the time of the alleged conduct, and Mr Valery Vasilyevich Gerasimov, born on 8 September 1955, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and First Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation at the time of the alleged conduct, are each allegedly responsible for the war crime of directing attacks at civilian objects and the war crime of causing excessive incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects, and the crime against humanity of inhumane acts under article 7(1)(k) of the Rome Statute. There are reasonable grounds to believe they bear individual criminal responsibility for the aforementioned crimes for having committed the acts jointly and/or through others, ordering the commission of the crimes, and/or for their failure to exercise proper control over the forces under their command.”

“The two warrants of arrest were issued following applications filed by the Prosecution. Pre-Trial Chamber II considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the two suspects bear responsibility for missile strikes carried out by the Russian armed forces against the Ukrainian electric infrastructure from at least 10 October 2022 until at least 9 March 2023. During this time-frame, a large number of strikes against numerous electric power plants and sub-stations were carried out by the Russian armed forces in multiple locations in Ukraine,” says the International Criminal Court in a statement. Don’t be surprised if Republicans start calling for sanctions again.