ULAANBAATAR: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Mongolia on Monday, his first visit to an International Criminal Court (ICC) member state since the court issued an arrest warrant for him last year.
Putin’s plane landed in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar on Monday evening, as shown in footage broadcast by Russian state television. His visit is the first to an ICC member country since the court issued an arrest warrant in March 2023, accusing him of war crimes related to the alleged illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
The ICC’s warrant alleges that Putin bears responsibility for the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children from areas controlled by Russian forces to Russia. The court claims there are “reasonable grounds to believe” that Putin was involved in this war crime.
Kyiv has called on Mongolian authorities to execute the arrest warrant, while the ICC has reiterated that member states have an “obligation” to detain those sought by the court.
However, practical enforcement of the arrest warrant remains uncertain. The Kremlin expressed confidence last week that Putin would not be detained during his visit to Mongolia. The Russian government has dismissed the ICC’s warrant as lacking legal substance and has downplayed its potential impact.
The arrest warrant stems from allegations that thousands of Ukrainian children were forcibly relocated from orphanages and other state institutions after Russian forces captured parts of Ukraine during the 2022 invasion. Russia maintains that the relocations were conducted for the children’s protection and has rejected the ICC’s claims as politically motivated.
Amnesty International has criticized Mongolia’s handling of the situation. Altantuya Batdorj, Executive Director of Amnesty International Mongolia, warned that failing to arrest Putin could embolden him and undermine the ICC’s credibility.
“President Putin is a fugitive from justice,” Batdorj stated. “Any trip to an ICC member state that does not end in arrest will encourage President Putin’s current course of action and must be seen as part of a strategic effort to undermine the ICC’s work.”
