US reiterates Russia must be held accountable for atrocities, commenting on ICC warrants for Russian top military officials

The US Department of State has welcomed the decision of the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for former Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

"We support a range of international investigations into Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine, including the one conducted by the ICC," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a briefing.

Miller said that the United States had welcomed the ICC's decision to issue arrest warrants for Gerasimov and Shoigu.

He also stressed that having invaded Ukraine, the Russian occupation forces had committed atrocities for which they must be held accountable.

The day before, Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Shoigu and Gerasimov for bombarding Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

Earlier, the ICC issued arrest warrants for the commanders of the long-range aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Russian Black Sea Fleet as part of the investigation into the attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

The Court’s first arrest warrants were issued for Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for their role in the abduction of children from the occupied territories of Ukraine.