Russia Puts Ukrainian President Zelensky on Wanted List

MOSCOW – Russia have put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on their wanted list since Saturday.

Quoting the report AFPSunday (5/5/2024), according to the database online Kremlin regarding suspected criminals wanted by authorities, Zelensky’s name appeared on the Russian Interior Ministry’s “wanted persons” list.

It stated that the Ukrainian leader was wanted under articles of the criminal code, without providing further details.

There was no immediate comment from Russian officials regarding why Zelensky was included on the list.

Moscow has targeted Zelensky since the start of its military offensive into Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine’s president said last year that he knew of at least “five or six” assassination attempts against him that had been thwarted.

A day after sending troops to Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an address to the nation in which he called on the Ukrainian army to oust Zelensky.

Russia has put several foreign politicians and public figures on its wanted list, which numbers in the tens of thousands.

In February, Moscow said it was pursuing Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas over what the Kremlin said was “desecration of historical memory” over the Baltic country’s destruction of Soviet-era monuments.

Last year the International Criminal Court (ICC) ordered Putin’s arrest on war crimes charges related to the kidnapping of Ukrainian children – charges Moscow denies.

(but)