2 More Russians Join Putin on ICC's Wanted List

Some 15 months after it issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin for war crimes related to his country's invasion of Ukraine, the International Criminal Court in the Hague (ICC) has set its sights on two more Russians. The body on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and the Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, reports CNN. What you need to know:

• The allegations: Per the court, there is "reasonable grounds to believe that the two suspects bear responsibility for missile strikes carried out by the Russian armed forces against the Ukrainian electric infrastructure from at least 10 October 2022 until at least 9 March 2023." They are accused of crimes against humanity and of being responsible for directing attacks on civilians and civilian objects. Reuters reports Russia has long held that Ukraine's energy infrastructure is a valid military target.
• The men: Deutsche-Welle reports that prior to Shoigu being ousted as Putin's longtime defense minister in May, the two men "were arguably President Vladimir Putin's most senior defense officials."

• The tally: The number of Russian officials sought by the ICC now stands at four. Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova and Putin are wanted for war crimes related to their alleged involvement in abductions of children from Ukraine.
• Nota bene: The ICC has 124 member countries, but many major countries are not ICC parties, among them China, India, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, and the US.

(More International Criminal Court stories.)