Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s deputy Security Council chairman, warned on Wednesday that punishing Russia for war crimes threatened the “existence of mankind.”
Medvedev, the former Russian president, and prime minister, who is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, described attempts to create tribunals to probe Russia’s conduct during the invasion of Ukraine as “crazy.”
“These proposals are not only legally void. The idea of punishing the country that has the largest nuclear potential is absurd in itself,” Medvedev said in a post on his Telegram channel.
Punishing Russia for war crimes “potentially threatens the existence of mankind,” he added.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating possible war crimes committed during Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. World leaders have called for the Russian president to be held accountable amid Kyiv’s rising civilian death toll.
Russia has been accused of intentionally targeting civilians, using indiscriminate methods of warfare, and using cluster bombs and munitions anticipating disproportionate effects on civilians.
