Palpable Tension as Russia Adds Ukrainian President, Zelensky to ‘List of Wanted Criminals’

Russia has officially added Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to its list of wanted criminals.

This development was confirmed through the Russian Interior Ministry’s online database, which tracks individuals alleged to be sought by the authorities under various criminal charges. The specific charges against President Zelenskyy were not detailed in the entry.

The listing of Zelenskyy marks a continuation of Moscow’s aggressive stance against Ukraine since the commencement of its military operations in February 2022. The day following the invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged the Ukrainian military to depose their president. Zelenskyy has previously disclosed that multiple assassination attempts against him have been thwarted since the conflict began.

This move by Russia adds to a series of contentious actions, including the targeting of other foreign leaders and public figures. For example, earlier this year, Russian authorities declared they were seeking the arrest of Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, accusing her of “desecration of historical memory” following Estonia’s decision to dismantle Soviet-era monuments.

Interestingly, this announcement comes amidst international legal actions against Russian leadership, notably last year’s directive by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the arrest of President Putin on charges related to the abduction of Ukrainian children. These allegations have been firmly rejected by Moscow.