Voice of Ukraine

From Atlantic Council By Peter Dickinson: Vladimir Putin will not be traveling to South Africa in August for a summit of BRICS leaders, it was confirmed this week. The change of plan reflects fears in Moscow that the Russian dictator may face arrest for war crimes if he attends the annual event in Johannesburg. In early 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin over his alleged role in the mass abduction of Ukrainian children. As an ICC signatory nation, South Africa would have been expected to arrest Putin if he entered the country.

Russia’s efforts to pressure South Africa into providing the necessary assurances clearly failed, leading to the July 19 announcement that Putin would not be attending. This exercise in damage limitation comes as no surprise. Speculation over Putin’s possible arrest in South Africa was rapidly becoming a PR disaster for the Kremlin, drawing attention to his status as a suspected war criminal while undermining his strongman persona. With South African officials unwilling or unable to provide the necessary assurances, the only remaining option was to cancel the visit entirely.

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