Under the changes, Moscow can ignore international judgments on Ukraine, shielding officials from ICC warrants and war crime tribunals.<\/b>
\nPresident Vladimir Putin on Monday signed into law changes that give Russia the right \u200cto ignore judgments in criminal cases issued by foreign and international \u200dcourts amid Ukrainian and European attempts to punish Moscow for its actions in Ukraine.
The move, which comes as US President Donald Trump is trying to broker a peace \u2060deal in Ukraine, appears to be a response to several initiatives to go after Russian officials and military officers for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, something Moscow denies its forces are guilty of.
Ukraine and the Council \u200dof Europe human rights body signed an agreement in June forming the basis \u200dfor a special tribunal, and Europe this month launched an International Claims Commission for Ukraine in an effort to \u200censure Kyiv is compensated for hundreds of billions of dollars in damage from Russian \u200dattacks and alleged war crimes.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has also issued arrest warrants for Putin and five other Russians, accusing them of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.
The \u200cKremlin, which \u2060called the ICC move outrageous, says the allegation is false and that Moscow has only acted to remove children from a conflict zone for their own safety.
Under the changes to Russian law backed by Putin \u200con Monday, Moscow will formally have the right under its own domestic legislation to disregard rulings in criminal cases taken by foreign \u200ccourts on behalf of \u200cforeign governments without Russia\u2019s participation.<\/p>\n