Putin

2023 - 3 - 18

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China leader Xi Jinping to visit Moscow in show of support for ... (NPR)

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba that Beijing is concerned about the year-old conflict spinning out of control ...

Putin invited Xi to visit Russia during a video conference call the two held in late December. drone over the Black Sea following an encounter with Russian fighter jets, which brought the two countries closest to direct conflict since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine a year ago. As permanent members of the UN Security Council and important major countries, the significance and impact of the China-Russia relations go far beyond the bilateral sphere," he added.

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Xi Jinping to visit Vladimir Putin in Russia next week (Financial Times)

We'll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest Chinese politics & policy news every morning. Chinese president Xi Jinping will pay a state ...

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China's Xi to visit Putin in Russia next week (POLITICO.eu)

Moscow will host state visit for Chinese president for first time since the start of the war on Ukraine.

[anything but neutral](https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-war-russia-china-negotiations-diplomacy-nato-europe-diplomacy-peacemaker/) in the war, and thus not a good fit to be playing the arbiter. [non-lethal “support”](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64695042) to Russia — and, according to exclusive customs data obtained by POLITICO, Chinese companies shipped [more than 1,000 assault rifles](https://www.politico.eu/article/chinese-companies-are-shipping-rifles-body-armor-to-russia/), drone parts and body armor to Russian entities between June and December of last year. [“no-limit partnership”](https://www.politico.eu/article/putin-hails-new-levels-cooperation-with-china-after-meeting-beijings-foreign-policy-chief-moscow-beijing-sergey-lavrov/) passed with Moscow days before the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Beijing has since sought to position itself as a peace broker, introducing a [12-point plan for peace](https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202302/t20230224_11030713.html). [Beijing](https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/202303/t20230317_11043619.html) and [Moscow](http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/70696) announced Friday, with “strategic cooperation” on the agenda. [Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-xi-to-speak-with-zelensky-meet-next-week-with-putin-f34be6be) that Xi would use the opportunity to call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — in what would be the first communication between the two leaders since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last February. “On March 20-22, 2023, at the invitation of Vladimir Putin, president of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Russia,” the Kremlin’s press service said in a statement.

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ICC issues war crimes arrest warrant for Putin for alleged ... (CNN)

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova for ...

Most countries on Earth – 123 of them – are parties to the treaty, but there are very large and notable exceptions, including Russia. I would like to believe (that the arrest warrant will bring practical results), but to be honest, I have my doubts, because most international organizations are very concerned, they say a lot of things, but I personally do not see any obvious action.” Asked whether the ICC is asking signatory countries to arrest Putin if he travels to them, Hofmanski referred to ICC statute, saying: “All state parties have the legal obligation to cooperate fully with the court, which means that they’re obliged to execute arrest warrants issued by the court. The court, which has 18 judges serving nine-year terms, tries four types of crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression and war crimes. Russia does not cooperate with this body, and possible [pretences] for arrest coming from the International Court of Justice will be legally null and void for us,” she said. The year of war has shown that even with all the help, this fight is a difficult one,” Tkachenko said. The court’s warrants are a wakeup call to others committing abuses or covering them up that their day in court may be coming, regardless of their rank or position,” Jarrah said. “This is a big day for the many victims of crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine since 2014. “We consider the very posing of the question outrageous and unacceptable. Some of the children have ended up thousands of miles and several time zones away from Ukraine. And we continue to work.” “In the criminal proceedings being investigated by our law enforcement officers, more than 16,000 forced deportations of Ukrainian children by the occupier have already been recorded.

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War crimes court issues arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin (Financial Times)

International Criminal Court says Russian leader is 'allegedly responsible' for deporting children from Ukraine.

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The International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant for Putin (NPR)

The ICC has issued warrants for the Russian president and his children's rights commissioner for alleged war crimes involving accusations that Russia has ...

The U.S. has had a complicated, at times hostile relationship with the international court, especially since 2002 when former President George W. "With these arrest warrants, the ICC has made Putin a wanted man and taken its first step to end the impunity that has emboldened perpetrators in Russia's war against Ukraine for far too long." position that the ICC should not be able to prosecute nonmember state citizens," Bosco said. "Yes, Vladimir Vladimirovich," Lvova-Belova responded, using the Russian leader's patronymic. The organization also said it expects further arrest warrants for Russian leaders as Ukraine war crimes investigations develop. State Department accused the Russian government of operating a systematic network of custody centers for thousands of Ukrainian children. "It is forbidden by international law for occupying powers to transfer civilians from the territories where they live to other territories," he said. We support accountability for perpetrators of war crimes." He said his office handed more than 1,000 pages of documents over to the ICC regarding the alleged forcible deportation of children to Russia. "The very question itself is outrageous and unacceptable," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Like the United States, Ukraine is also not a party to the ICC.

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Arrest warrant issued for Putin on war crime allegations (The Independent Barents Observer)

The international criminal court in The Hague on Friday issued an arrest warrant for Russian dictator Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.

[European Union sanctioned Chibis](https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/life-and-public/2022/12/chibis-sanctioned-involvement-child-kidnapping) for his support to the military onslaught on Ukraine. It is not known how many Ukrainian children have arrived to the north Russian region bordering Norway. “There are credible allegation against these persons for the alleged crimes.” She is also wanted under allegations of unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. ADVERTISEMENT The EU said Chibis was “involved in Russia’s brutal and deliberate missile strikes against civilians, in the kidnapping of Ukrainian children to Russia….” [Norway soon after joined the EU sanctions](https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/life-and-public/2023/01/norway-introduces-sanctions-against-head-neighbouring-russian-region) against the Murmansk Governor.

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Biden administration skeptical of Xi's intentions ahead of his summit ... (CNN)

President Joe Biden said earlier this week he was planning to speak "soon" with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

We hope that President Xi and the Chinese government would be able to have the benefit of understanding what exactly the impact of their support to Russia is having.” And there is little question that the deep personal affinity between Putin and Xi has helped enhance closer ties between their nations as they each warn of encroaching American influence. “We think that it’s important that China has the perspective of Ukraine. The concern among US officials is not necessarily that Chinese weapons would help Russia land a decisive win in Ukraine. After China announced Xi’s visit to Russia by saying he was traveling “for the sake of peace,” the White House worked to preempt attempts to frame the Xi-Putin meeting as a peacemaking mission, suggesting any framework offered by Beijing would be weighted toward Russia and bad for Ukraine. So far, officials have said there hasn’t been any indication that Beijing has made a final decision to assist Moscow’s war efforts with lethal aid.

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Will Vladimir Putin ever face a war crimes trial? (BBC News)

Although the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has issued a warrant for President Vladimir Putin's arrest, that is no more than the first step ...

In doing so, it is trying to deter further crimes taking place. As for the ICC itself, it has so far indicted 40 individuals apart from Mr Putin, all from African countries. The ICC does not conduct trials in absentia, so that avenue is closed off too. This statute lays down that it is the duty of every state to exercise its own criminal jurisdiction over those responsible for international crimes. Other bespoke bodies have sought to convict those accused of war crimes. Mr Putin could be detained if he leaves the country.

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Biden says Putin committed war crimes, charges are 'justified' (The Straits Times)

However, neither the US nor Russia is a member of the International Criminal Court. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The ICC move obligates the court’s 123 member states to arrest Mr Putin and transfer him to The Hague for trial if he sets foot on their territory. “This was a decision the ICC prosecutor reached independently based on the facts before him.” The United States is not a member of the ICC.

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China's Xi to meet Putin in Moscow next week (BBC News)

Beijing said China would uphold "an objective and fair position" on the war in Ukraine.

The US is keen for Mr Xi and Mr Zelensky to be in contact. Nor do I think that this visit will result in peace… In an interview with the BBC before President Xi's visit was announced, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said: "I don't think China has reached the moment now when it wants to, when it's ready to arm Russia. The fact the Chinese leader is going to Russia signals Beijing's strong support for Moscow. So the Chinese government definitely has some sway over Russia. This will be President Xi's first visit to Russia since Russian troops invaded Ukraine.

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ICC issues arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin over child deportations ... (POLITICO.eu)

Ukraine regards the seizure of children as part of an attempted genocide, but Moscow does not recognize the court's authority.

investigation](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64985009) which said that Russia’s forced deportation of Ukrainian children amounted to a war crime — the Kremlin has [denied](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-60690688) it committed any crimes. ” concluding with a toilet paper emoji. It comes ahead of a visit to Russia next week by Chinese President Xi Jinping and will severely limit Putin’s own potential range of diplomatic visits. No need to explain WHERE this paper should be used … Putin is “allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children)” and that of “unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation,” the Hague-based court said in a statement The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant Friday for Russian President Vladimir Putin over the forced transfer of children to Russia after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.

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Q&A: White House 'Concerned' About Xi-Putin Meeting, 'Supports' Xi ... (Voice of America)

It is important for Xi Jinping to get perspectives from both Russian and Ukrainian leaders, White House says.

He wants to be able to continue to try to build on the progress that he and President Xi were able to make in Bali. Kirby: We have been putting security assistance in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers at an unprecedented rate and with a sense of urgency that we all have shared over the course of a year now, and that will continue going forward. Are you concerned that this will be a way for Tehran to circumvent the U.S. You're going to see another delivery package here from the United States in [the] coming days, and I think you'll see in that package the kinds of materiel, weapons and ammunition that we believe are going to be vital to Ukraine succeeding in the weeks and months ahead. He means that, and he said he would look forward to a potential discussion with President Xi here in the near future. So, what would you like to see from that call, and have President Zelenskyy talk to the U.S. VOA: There are Chinese companies that have shipped the assault rifles, Chinese-made rifles and drone parts, and body armor through Turkey and UAE to Russia. And if that happens, what would President Biden’s message to President Xi be? What we are concerned about is that President Xi hasn't talked to President Zelenskyy and we believe it's important that he do that as well - that he doesn't just get the Russian perspective here on this war, but that he gets President Zelenskyy’s perspective. And on that note, can you give us the administration's current thinking of the discussion of the Germany, France and U.K. That's not going to happen, so I think we all envision the possibility that there could be some sort of negotiated settlement. We're going to continue to help international bodies as they collect evidence and begin to analyze that evidence going forward.

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Putin arrest warrant: Biden welcomes ICC's war crimes charges (BBC News)

US President Joe Biden has welcomed the International Criminal Court's issuing of an arrest warrant against his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

Russian opposition activists have welcomed the announcement. It also accused him of failing to use his presidential powers to stop children being deported. [The United Nations also released a report](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64985009) earlier this week that found Moscow's forced removal of Ukrainian children to areas under its control amounted to a war crime. However, it could affect Mr Putin in other ways, such as being unable to travel internationally. "Children can't be treated as the spoils of war, they can't be deported," Mr Khan told the BBC. President Biden said that, while the court also held no sway in the US, the issuing of the warrant "makes a very strong point".

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Putin may be about to find his 'Chinese wish list' is wishful thinking (CNN)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited his international "best friend", China's leader Xi Jinping, to Moscow for a three-day state visit beginning ...

Russia’s damaged economy can never make up for the loss of the European and American markets that would likely ensue if China wholeheartedly took Russia’s side. Still, as Putin and Xi sit down for talks, they seem to agree unreservedly on one thing: both want an end to the post-World War II “liberal world order” guaranteed by the United States. On the crucial issue of sovereignty, Beijing is performing another balancing act by not criticizing Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, while at the same time reaffirming that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be upheld. Even as the Russian president has made multiple thinly veiled threats to China, however, faces a dilemma: it officially opposes economic sanctions but – so far at least – is trying not to violate them, fearing Chinese companies themselves might end up being sanctioned. Russia is making up for that by [third term in office](https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/09/china/china-xi-jinping-president-third-term-intl-hnk/index.html). The Kremlin says the plan deserves “careful attention” but the spokesman for President Joe Biden’s National Security Council, John F. Western sanctions are cutting off Moscow’s access to microchips and other sophisticated technology crucial for Putin’s military industrial complex; China is a leading producer of those components. Kremlin officials say the two leaders will be signing “important documents” that will “deepen relations” and solidify economic cooperation. Putin’s army is burning through military hardware, ammunition – and men. There’s sure to be plenty of glad-handing, champagne toasts, a major press conference and – behind closed doors – serious discussion.

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'It's justified': Joe Biden welcomes ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin (The Guardian)

US president says Russian leader has clearly committed war crimes and move makes 'a very strong point'

“One day Putin will face justice: until then, the focus of all who believe in Ukraine’s liberty and freedom must continue to be on ensuring her victory.” But I think it makes a very strong point.” “Well, I think it’s justified,” Biden said of the warrant on Friday.

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Putin visits Crimea to mark the anniversary of its annexation from ... (NPR)

Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to the Black Sea peninsula to mark the ninth anniversary of its annexation from Ukraine. Russia's move in 2014 was ...

of the Donetsk province, said one person was killed and three wounded when 11 towns and villages in the province were shelled on Friday. Writing on Telegram, the air force command said that 11 out of 16 drones were shot down "in the central, western and eastern regions." The court, which is based in The Hague, Netherlands, also issued a warrant for the arrest of Maria Lvova-Belova, the commissioner for Children's Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation. Maksym Kozytskyi said Saturday that three of six drones were shot down, with the other three hitting a district bordering Poland. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move that most of the world denounced as illegal. The ICC's arrest warrant was the first issued against a leader of one of the five permanent members of the U.N.

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Putin visits Crimea after war crimes warrant issued against him (Aljazeera.com)

Russian president arrives in Crimea to mark the anniversary of the peninsula's 2014 annexation from Ukraine.

The court, which is based in The Hague, Netherlands, also issued a warrant for the arrest of Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights. Putin has yet to comment publicly on the warrant. Because on such a historic day, the president is always with Sevastopol and the people of Sevastopol,” the Moscow-appointed official said.

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Putin visits Crimea on anniversary of its annexation from Ukraine (Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Crimea on Saturday on an unannounced visit to mark the ninth anniversary of Russia's annexation of the peninsula ...

Putin has yet to comment publicly on the move. Russia seized Crimea in 2014, eight years before launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. March 18 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Crimea on Saturday on an unannounced visit to mark the ninth anniversary of Russia's annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine.

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Explainer: What does the ICC arrest warrant mean for Putin? (CNA)

AMSTERDAM: Vladimir Putin may not see the inside of a cell in The Hague any time soon, but his war crimes arrest warrant could hurt his ability to travel ...

Kenya's President William Ruto and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta were both charged by the ICC before they were elected. While in office, he travelled to a number of Arab and African countries, including ICC member states Chad, Djibouti, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, and Uganda, which declined to detain him. He has since been prosecuted in Sudan for other crimes but has not been handed to the ICC. Charges against Gaddafi were terminated after he was overthrown and killed in 2011. The ICC's 123 member states are obliged to detain and transfer Putin if he sets foot on their territory. Following is a look at what the consequences could be for the Kremlin leader.

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Explainer: What does the ICC arrest warrant mean for Putin? (Reuters)

Vladimir Putin may not see the inside of a cell in The Hague any time soon, but his war crimes arrest warrant could hurt his ability to travel freely and ...

He has since been prosecuted in Sudan for other crimes but has not been handed to the ICC. Kenya's President William Ruto and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta were both charged by the ICC before they were elected. The court rebuked those countries or referred them to the U.N. Putin is just the third head of state to be indicted by the International Criminal Court while still in power. While in office, he travelled to a number of Arab and African countries, including ICC member states Chad, Djibouti, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, and Uganda, which declined to detain him. The ICC's 123 member states are obliged to detain and transfer Putin if he sets foot on their territory.

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Joe Biden hails decision to issue ICC arrest warrant against Vladimir ... (The Guardian)

US president joined by German chancellor in support of action taken after Russia's abduction of Ukrainian children.

“We regard any attacks on the president of the Russian Federation as aggression against our country.” Russia has denied committing atrocities, and in Moscow the arrest warrant was met with predictable outrage. It is just one of many crimes – including torture and the deliberate targeting of civilians – for which At a time when Moscow is seeking to win support for its war – or neutralise backing for Ukraine – among countries in the global south, it will potentially limit his travel. It puts him in the same company as infamous figures such as The warrant is unlikely to lead to a trial.

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Putin Visits Annexed Crimea a Day After a Warrant for His Arrest ... (TIME)

Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the Black Sea peninsula's annexation from Ukraine on Saturday, ...

[a leader of one of the five permanent members](https://apnews.com/article/us-russia-china-ukraine-icc-putin-57774b3a58d6ec1c75c921f71d9ebe90) of the U.N. Maksym Kozytskyi said Saturday that three of six drones were shot down, with the other three hitting a district that borders Poland. The ministry said many Russian men ages 18-21 claim exemptions from military service because they are enrolled in higher education institutions. The country briefly pulled out of the agreement in November before rejoining and agreeing to a 120-day renewal. The court, which is based in The Hague, Netherlands, also issued a warrant for the arrest of Maria Lvova-Belova, the commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation. Defense Ministry said in its latest analysis that deputies in the Russian Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, introduced a bill to change the draft ages for men to 21-30, from the current 18-27. No casualties were reported, but houses were damaged, Anatoliy Kurtev of the Zaporizhzhia City Council said. The head of the Kyiv city administration, Serhii Popko, said Ukrainian air defenses shot down all drones heading for the capital. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov tweeted that the deal had been renewed for 120 days, the period that Ukraine, Turkey and the U.N. The move was immediately dismissed by Moscow — and welcomed by Ukraine as a major breakthrough. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move that most of the world denounced as illegal. Instead, he stressed Friday the importance of holding Crimea.

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Facing Arrest Warrant, Russia's Putin Visits Annexed Crimea (Voice of America)

Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the Black Sea peninsula's annexation from Ukraine Saturday, ...

Defense Ministry said in its latest analysis that deputies in the Russian Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament, introduced a bill to change the draft ages for men to 21-30, from the current 18-27. Lviv Governor Maksym Kozytskyy said Saturday that three of six drones were shot down, with the other three hitting a district that borders Poland. The country briefly pulled out of the agreement in November before rejoining and agreeing to a 120-day renewal. The ICC's arrest warrant was the first issued against a leader of one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move that most of the world denounced as illegal. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov tweeted that the deal had been renewed for 120 days, the period that Ukraine, Turkey and the U.N.

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Russia president Putin makes surprise Crimea visit on anniversary ... (The Straits Times)

The visit comes a day after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him for war crimes. Read more at straitstimes.com.

He arrived in Sevastopol driving a car, Mr Mikhail Razvozhaev, the Kremlin-installed governor of Sevastopol, said on Telegram. Mr Putin’s previous full-scale visit to the peninsula was in 2020. The visit included the opening of a children’s art school and a visit to a children’s centre, according to Interfax.

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Putin visits Russian-occupied Mariupol in Ukraine (Aljazeera.com)

Vladimir Putin, who flew to Mariupol by helicopter, drove around city and stopped to talk to residents, TASS reports.

Russian state TV showed him visiting the Black Sea port city of Sevastopol on Saturday, accompanied by the local Moscow-appointed governor, Mikhail Razvozhayev. Putin flew to Mariupol by helicopter, the TASS agency reported on Sunday, citing the Kremlin. Vladimir Putin, who flew to Mariupol by helicopter, drove around the city by car and stopped to talk to residents, TASS agency says.

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Putin visits Crimea as Ukraine grain deal extended (FRANCE 24)

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday visited Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the peninsula's annexation, a day after the International ...

Because on such a historic day, the president is always with Sevastopol and the people of Sevastopol," he said. It was extended for 120 days in November. Xi will be in Russia from Monday to Wednesday. Moscow has refused to include it in possible peace talks. Behind the wheel. Turkey announced the extension of a deal that has allowed Ukraine to export grain following Russia's offensive, but Kyiv and Moscow disagreed over the length of the extension.

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Putin Visits Crimea, Mariupol on Annexation Anniversary (Bloomberg)

President Vladimir Putin made unannounced visits to Crimea and the Ukrainian city of Mariupol at the weekend for what were termed “reunification” events, ...

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Putin makes surprise trip to Mariupol, first to occupied Donbas in ... (Reuters)

President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Mariupol, Russian state media reported on Sunday, in what would be the Kremlin leader's first trip to the ...

Mariupol is in the Donetsk region, one of the four regions Putin moved in September to annex. The Organization for Security and Cooperation and Europe (OSCE) said Russia's early bombing of a maternity hospital in Mariupol was [a war](/world/europe/clear-patterns-found-that-russia-violated-humanitarian-law-ukraine-osce-2022-04-13/) crime. Driving a car, Putin travelled around several districts of the city, making stops and talking to residents.

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Putin Visits Crimea on Annexation Anniversary, Day After ICC Warrant (Voice of America)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol, according to a report Sunday from the Russian state news ...

The Russian leader visited an art center and a children’s center in Crimea. Putin traveled to Crimea on Saturday on the ninth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine. Saturday’s trip also came the day after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Putin’s arrest, charging him with being personally responsible for the abduction of children from Ukraine in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

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Putin makes surprise trip to Mariupol, first to occupied Donbas in ... (EURACTIV)

President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Mariupol, Russian state media reported on Sunday (19 March), in what would be the Kremlin leader's first ...

Donetsk, together with the Luhansk region, comprise most of the Donbas industrialised part of Ukraine that has seen the biggest battle in Europe for generations. Mariupol is in the Donetsk region, one of the four regions Putin moved in September to annex. Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov, was reduced to a smouldering shell after weeks of fighting.

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Live: Putin visits war-ravaged Mariupol after Crimea trip, Kremlin says (FRANCE 24)

Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise trip to Mariupol after visiting Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the peninsula's annexation from ...

Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov, was reduced to a smouldering shell after weeks of fighting. The aim was to combat a global food crisis triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Black Sea blockade. Driving a car, Putin travelled around several districts of the city, making stops and talking to residents. Putin visited a family in the Nevsky district of Mariupol, Russian media reported. The visit came after Putin travelled to Crimea on Saturday in an unannounced visit to mark the ninth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine. Probably in order not to see the city, killed by his 'liberation', in the light of day," the city council said on its Telegram account. A short deal is far from helpful in fixing supply chain issues or rising food prices.— David Miliband (@DMiliband) President Vladimir Putin made a surprise trip to Mariupol, the Kremlin has said, in what marks his first trip to the Russian-occupied territories of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region since the start of the war. He watched the 'rebuilding of the city'... "The downtown has been badly damaged," Khusnullin said. "We want to finish (reconstruction) of the centre by the end of the year, at least the facade part. Follow our live blog for the latest developments in the war in Ukraine.

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The Observer view on how Xi Jinping plans to use his meeting with ... (The Guardian)

The international criminal court has sent a clear message to China and shows the Russian people that their leader's days in power are numbered.

[a state visit to Moscow](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/17/xi-jinping-visit-russia-vladimir-putin) this week. The recent unconvincing Chinese-brokered deal between [Saudi Arabia and Iran](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/10/iran-saudi-arabia-agree-restore-ties-china-talks) was hailed by Beijing as an example of how its supposedly disinterested approach brings results. Like Richard Nixon’s visit to Beijing in 1972, when he famously played the “China card” against the Soviet Union, Xi is using his Russian alliance to weaken and thwart the US. But Putin is neither smart nor strong – and the tacit message to Russians from the ICC indictment is that his days in power are numbered. Xi does not want Putin to be defeated. But the indictment should leave its president, Xi Jinping, in no doubt about the despicable reputation of his host as he begins The decision to indict Putin for the But he is unlikely to [not be “humiliated”](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/04/russia-must-not-be-humiliated-ukraine-emmanuel-macron). But it does ensure that, from now on, Russia’s president will be a criminal suspect and wanted man, liable to arrest in the ICC’s 123 member states and a huge embarrassment to his country. Striking an important blow for international justice, the court has shown there is no impunity for even the most senior leaders. The decision by the international criminal court (ICC) is unlikely to lead to his arrest and trial in the foreseeable future.

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