Yonhap News TV

Arrest warrant issued for Putin Surprise visit to Crimea by car

[앵커]

Yesterday, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

President Putin visited Crimea the next day, attracting attention.

Reporter Kim Ji-haul reports.

[기자]

On the 18th local time, Russian President Putin visited Sevastopol, a port city in the southwestern part of Crimea.

Led by the Russian-appointed mayor, we will tour the children’s center and art school that opened that day.

Russian Orthodox Bishop Shevkunov, known as Putin’s personal confessional priest, also accompanied him.

So, did everything go as planned? (Yes, thank God. His Holiness cares too. It’s important to him too) His support is important. (Yes, his help, his blessings, his prayers…)”

This visit was carried out in extreme secrecy, to the extent that even the Russian state news agency transmitted related news by watching the television screen released by the local broadcaster.

President Putin is said to have personally driven the car to Sevastopol.

The mayor of Sevastopol said, “I was preparing to report via video conference, but the president came in person without warning,” and said, “On such a historic day, the president is always with the citizens.”

It is the ninth anniversary of the forcible annexation of Crimea and a day after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Putin.

It has not yet been confirmed what President Putin said about the ICC’s decision at this meeting.

However, AP’s analysis is that the children’s center and the art school were chosen as places to visit in response to this ICC measure.

The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Putin, charging him with war crimes related to the illegal removal of children from occupied Ukraine.

This is Yonhap News Kim Ji-haul. (heulog10@yna.co.kr)

#Putin #Russia_President #Crimea #InternationalCriminalCourt

Yonhap News TV article inquiries and reports: Kakao Talk/Line jebo23

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