ICC Arrest Warrants for Russian Attacks on Ukraine’s Power Grid

On June 24, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for two top Russian officials for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

Prosecutors allege that Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s former defense minister, and Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, directed missile strikes against Ukraine’s power plants and electrical infrastructure. 

Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power plants during the winter of 2022-2023 left 12 million people with limited or no access to energy and severely damaged Ukraine's health care system. 

Just how might the arrest warrants influence the war?  

Joining the show to discuss the arrest warrants and their potential impact are Kateryna Busol and Rebecca Hamilton. 

Kateryna is a Ukrainian lawyer and an Associate Professor at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Rebecca is an Executive Editor at Just Security and a Professor of Law at American University.  

Show Notes: 

• Kateryna Busol (@KaterynaBusol)
• Rebecca Hamilton (@bechamilton)
• Paras Shah (@pshah518) 
• Just Security’s symposium “International Law in the Face of Russia’s Aggression in Ukraine: The View from Lviv” 
• Fionnuala Ní Aoláin’s Just Security article “A Zone of Silence: Obstetric Violence in Gaza and Beyond” and Podcast episode with Paras and Viola Gienger “Harm to Women in War Goes Beyond Sexual Violence: `Obstetric Violence' Neglected” 
• Just Security’s International Law coverage
• Just Security’s Russia-Ukraine War coverage
• Music: “Broken” by David Bullard from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/david-bullard/broken (License code: OSC7K3LCPSGXISVI)