Russia issues search and arrest warrant against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

The Ukrainian president was included in the list of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia of people wanted and capturedreported the official Russian agency TASS.

Zelensky, the ministry said, is wanted in relation to a crime contemplated in the Russian Criminal Code, without offering further details.

Also this Saturday, Russia declared the search and capture of former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, who served as head of state between 2014 and 2019.

Previously, Authorities have issued arrest warrants for senior Ukrainian officials.

(Read also: ‘Absolutely intolerable’: Germany and Czech Republic blame Russia for cyber attacks on institutions)

In December of last year, the Russian Interior Ministry searched for and captured the head of Military Intelligence (GUR) of Ukraine, Kirilo Budanov, after the Russian Investigative Committee initiated criminal proceedings against him and three other Ukrainian soldiers.

Last April Budanov was arrested in absentia by the Russian Justice on charges of terrorism.

Russia, whose president, Vladimir Putin, has an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court, which considers him responsible for war crimes for the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine, has also searched for and captured politicians from countries of the European Union.

(You can read: After Israel’s statement, the ICC prosecutor warns that ‘threats’ to the Court are a ‘crime’ and undermine impartiality)

Last February 13 Russia announced this measure against the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, as well as against several officials and deputies from Latvia and Lithuania.

According to the Russian authorities, the search and arrest warrant against the head of the Estonian Government and other Baltic politicians was adopted due to the destruction and damage caused to the monuments of Soviet soldiers in Estonia.