The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has quickly responded to the move, terming it “evidence of the desperation of the Russian state machine and propaganda, which can think of no other way to attract attention”. They have compared this action unfavorably with the International Criminal Court’s real warrant for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin on suspicion of war crimes, noting that Putin’s warrant is “subject to implementation in 123 countries”.
This latest development follows a history of targeting Zelensky by Moscow since the initiation of the Russian military offensive in Ukraine in February 2022. Zelensky himself has previously acknowledged the danger he faces, revealing last year that he had been aware of “five or six” assassination attempts against him that were thwarted.
Russia has a track record of placing foreign politicians and public figures on its wanted list. Notable inclusions along with Zelensky’s name in the online database are the commander of Ukraine’s Land Forces, Oleksandr Pavliuk, and former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko. Outside Ukraine, officials like Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and members of the previous Latvian parliament have also been targeted for their actions, which Moscow deems as offenses against Russian interests or historical memory.
This wanted notice comes amid reports of ongoing military activity in the region, including the downing of Russian drones in Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, resulting in civilian injuries and a fire in an office building. The Russian defense ministry also claims to have shot down US-produced long-range missiles over Crimea, a disputed territory annexed by Russia.
The United States has recently supplied Ukraine with long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), which have been used against Russian targets in Crimea. There has been concern from the Pentagon regarding these arms supplies, particularly the fear that their use might provoke an escalation in the conflict, potentially leading to direct confrontation between Russia and the United States.
In February, Moscow said it was seeking Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas for what the Kremlin said was the “desecration of historical memory” over the Baltic country’s move to destroy Soviet era monuments.
Last year the International Criminal Court ordered the arrest of Putin on war crimes charges related to the abduction of Ukrainian children — accusations rejected by Moscow.
Relevant articles:
– Russia puts Zelensky on wanted list , novayagazeta.eu, 05/05/2024
– Russia adds Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to list of ‘wanted’ criminals, South China Morning Post, 05/04/2024
– Russia adds Zelensky to criminal ‘wanted’ list, Yahoo News UK, 05/04/2024