Russia’s Medvedev says Putin’s arrest can be ‘declaration of warfare’

High Russian official Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday mentioned that any try to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin can be thought-about a “declaration of warfare” in opposition to the nation amid Moscow’s ongoing invasion of neighboring Ukraine. 

In a Telegram submit, Medvedev, the deputy secretary of Russia’s Safety Council, known as out the Worldwide Prison Courtroom’s (ICC) resolution to situation an arrest warrant for Putin over alleged warfare crimes in Ukraine, saying the ICC’s transfer added to a “colossal detrimental potential” within the already strained relationship between Russian and western international locations. 

The ICC on Friday issued an arrest warrant for Putin and one other Russian official over alleged warfare crimes in Ukraine since Russia started its full-scale invasion of the nation in February 2022, issuing fees based mostly on their alleged involvement within the abduction of hundreds of youngsters from Ukraine to Russia. 

“Our relationships with the West are already worse than they’ve ever been in historical past,” the 57-year-old Russian official mentioned in his Telegram submit. 

Medvedev, who served as president of Russia from 2008 to 2012, additionally known as out German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann in his video response. Buschmann mentioned that Putin can be arrested on the ICC’s warrant if he visited Germany. 

“Let’s think about – clearly this case which is able to by no means be realised – however however lets think about that it was realised: The present head of the nuclear state went to a territory, say Germany, and was arrested,” Medvedev mentioned, according to Reuters. 

“What would that be? It might be a declaration of warfare on the Russian Federation,” he added. “And in that case, all our belongings – all our missiles et cetera – would fly to the Bundestag, to the Chancellor’s workplace.”

Medvedev’s remarks come after Chinese language President Xi Jinping visited Putin in Moscow earlier this week. Authorities officers within the West largely seen Xi’s go to to Moscow as China doubling down on its assist for Russia in its ongoing warfare in opposition to Ukraine.

The U.S. and different world entities have expressed concern that China may arm Russia within the warfare, although China launched a 12-point plan final month to bridge a cease-fire between the 2 international locations.

The Related Press contributed to this report.