Voice of Ukraine

From Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 387):

For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver;
the Lord is our king; he will save us.
Isaiah 33:22

Today, 17 March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and his Commissioner for Children’s Rights for the war crime of unlawful deportation of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation. It means that if the president of the Russian Federation sets foot in one of 123 countries that are parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, those countries will be legally required to arrest him. This will inevitably place restrictions on which countries Putin can visit and will also send a signal to senior Russian officials who may be vulnerable to prosecution now or in the future. This ICC decision is rather symbolic, but the criminal needs to be recognized as such, as it is the first step towards restoring justice.

This week, Poland and Slovakia announced their decision to provide MIG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. This is a significant advantage, as Ukrainian pilots can use this aircraft without additional training. We hope this will be the first step toward providing more aircraft in military aid as it’s a crucial element in destroying Russian warehouses and supply chains.

Please, keep praying for Bakhmut. This city is essential in keeping the Russians from advancing further into the Donetsk region, but the situation is critical, and many Ukrainian defenders give their lives there every day.