The Russian Interior Ministry has placed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky under a search and arrest warrant. Born in 1978 in Krivoi Rog, Dnipropetrovsk region in Ukraine, Zelensky is wanted under an unspecified article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, according to Interfax. This move by Russian authorities follows a trend of targeting officials of the Ukrainian government since the start of the conflict in Ukraine.
In addition to Zelensky, the head of the National Security and Defense Council, Alexander Litvinenko, and former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko have also been placed on the list. The inclusion of these individuals is seen as a response to their positions and actions during their respective mandates, which were deemed contrary to Russian interests.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has condemned Zelensky’s inclusion on the list as an act of desperation by the Russian state propaganda machine. They point out that there is an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin for kidnapping and deporting children from Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine. This ICC warrant is seen as a more legitimate and serious legal action than placing Zelensky on a search and arrest warrant.
The escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to play out on an international stage, with each side using legal and political tactics to assert their interests and opinions. It remains uncertain how these developments will impact the already strained relations between the two neighboring countries.