Lithuania asks ICC to investigate Russia's energy strikes as genocide of Ukrainians

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Kęstutis Budrys addressed the prosecutors of the International Criminal Court in connection with the ongoing by Russian attacks on the civil and energy infrastructure of Ukraine. The letter published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"These systematic attacks, which are clearly aimed at leaving the Ukrainian population without electricity, heating and water in the middle of winter snow, cannot be qualified in any other way than as a deliberate attempt to physically destroy Ukrainians as a group," the minister said in a letter to the ICC prosecutors.

The Minister notes that, according to Lithuania, these actions of Russia in Ukraine can be equated and investigated as a crime of genocide.

Currently, the arrest warrants issued by the ICC relate to the investigation of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the Foreign Ministry said.

• International Criminal Court in March 2023 issued warrants for the arrest of the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova.
• june 25, ISS issued an arrest warrant for Shoigu and Gerasimov for missile attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure from at least October 10, 2022, to March 9, 2023.
• In December 2025, the ICC prosecutors reportedthe court warrants for the arrest of Putin and his associates will remain in force even if a general amnesty is approved as a result of peace talks.