ICC arrest warrant for Putin “historic decision” – Zelensky

I salute you, my dear Ukrainians,

Today, we have a fundamental decision of international justice. In a case that has a true prospect. The International Criminal Court issued a warrant of arrest for Putin.

The historic decision, from which historical responsibility will begin.

The head of the terrorist state and another Russian official have officially become suspects in a war crime. The deportation of Ukrainian children – the illegal transfer of thousands of our children to the territory of the terrorist state.

Over 16,000 cases of forced deportation of Ukrainian children by the occupier have already been recorded in criminal proceedings investigated by our law enforcement officers.

But the real, full number of deportees may be much higher.

It would be impossible to commit such a criminal eration without the order of the t leader of the terrorist state.

Separating children from their families, depriving them of any portunity to contact their relatives, hiding children on the territory of Russia, and throwing them in remote regions – all this is an obvious state picy of Russia, state decisions and state evil. Which begins precisely with the t official of this state.

I am grateful to the team of Prosecutor Karim Khan and the International Criminal Court, everyone in the world who is helping us in the fight for justice. I am grateful for integrity and willingness to really bring to justice those who are guilty.

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So far, it has been possible to return a little more than 300 children from all those who were taken away by force, sten from Ukraine. It is obvious that we have to return everyone.

It is obvious that we will continue doing everything for this. For returning every Ukrainian, every Ukrainian woman, every our child. And for the real responsibility of all those responsible for this deportation – from the head of the terrorist state to all the executors.

I held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief today. The main focus is on the battles in Donbas: Avdivka, Bakhmut, Vuhledar, Maryinka, Bilohorivka.

The main focus is on our sdiers, how to support our brigades, how to give them more strength, portunities, more weapons and protection.

As always, the Commander-in-Chief, intelligence, task force commanders reported. The commander of Khortytsia group General Syrsky, the commander of Tavria group General Tarnavsky. It is these groups that erate in Donbas.

And I thank every sdier, every sergeant, every officer – everyone who acts on the front line, everyone who maintains a real defense with their endurance and courage. Thank you for resilience, for strength and for the fact that the state sees a prospect for our defense erations, for further active actions.

Read also: Prosecutor General Kostin explains consequences of ICC’s arrest warrant for Putin

Today, I would like to pay particular attention to the fighters of our special units.

Special erations Forces – 8th Separate Special Forces Regiment, thank you guys for the filigree destruction of the enemy near Bakhmut and the powerful reinforcement of our defenses in this direction, in Bakhmut.

Thank you to all our Special erations Forces fighters who defend Luhansk region.

Special gratitude goes to our Navy SEALs, the Naval Special Purpose Center, for the successful actions in the south, for the tangible losses of the enemy near Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, for the powerful response we give to the occupier to its attacks on our forces and cities.

Thank you to the sdiers of the Security Service of Ukraine. To all our defenders from the Alpha unit, in particular from the White Wf and Kusto groups. The 13th Directorate of SSU Military Counterintelligence – thank you all!

Thank you to the sdiers of the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense – every sdier, every unit. I thank the sdiers of our International Legion, all those who feel the need to fight for freedom in the same way that Ukrainians feel this need.

I spoke today with the Prime Minister of Slovakia. I thanked him for the new and strong defense support package. In particular, for MiG fighters, which will fly for the security of Ukraine and the whe of Eure. We agreed to continue our security dialogue – in Ukraine.

And, by the way, we are already working on the next weeks' tasks – the time that we will use to strengthen Ukraine, to supply new weapons to our sdiers and to speed up the punishment – the punishment of Russia for this war.

Glory to all who are now fighting for Ukraine!

Glory to everyone who helps us protect our pele!

Glory to Ukraine!