Putin Visits Southern Front in Ukraine... Meeting with Unified Commander

Foreign Media Analysis on "Response to International Criminal Court Arrest Warrants"

Russian President Vladimir Putin made an unannounced visit to the Crimean Peninsula on the 18th (local time) to mark the 9th anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea. The visit took place just one day after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Putin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a gesture while delivering a state address in Moscow, the capital, on the 21st of last month (local time).
[Photo by Yonhap News]

According to foreign media including AP, Russian local broadcasters released footage showing President Putin personally driving to the southwestern port city of Sevastopol in Crimea. Mikhail Razvozhaev, the mayor of Sevastopol, said on Telegram, "Our president knows how to surprise us," adding, "We were preparing to report to the president via video conference, but he came driving himself."

President Putin was reported to have toured a newly opened children's center and an art school that day, guided by Mayor Razvozhaev.

AP analyzed that President Putin's visit to Crimea was a response to the ICC's issuance of the arrest warrant. The ICC issued the warrant the previous day, holding Putin responsible for war crimes involving the illegal transfer of children from occupied territories in Ukraine.

Previously, in March 2014, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula, which was then part of Ukraine. Russia claimed that 96.7% of Crimean residents supported annexation in a referendum, but Ukraine declared the vote invalid, stating it was conducted under Russian military occupation, and demanded the return of Crimea. Ukraine currently aims to reclaim all Russian-occupied territories, including Crimea.