Kremlin by way of Reuters
Whereas Moscow has publicly dismissed the Hague’s arrest order for Vladimir Putin as nothing greater than a meaningless piece of paper, some authorities officers reportedly descended right into a full-blown panic in personal chats after the information broke—with some questioning in the event that they’d turn out to be the following Heinrich Himmler and Joseph Goebbels.
That’s based on a brand new report from the unbiased outlet Verstka, which spoke with sources near the Kremlin and several other sources in parliament concerning the response behind the scenes.
The information unfold “like hearth” in personal chats between officers within the presidential administration, one supply near the Kremlin mentioned, including that reactions have been “sturdy, principally unprintable.”
“There was a way that they [in the West] had crossed the road, that it was like a slap within the face for all of us,” he mentioned.
Others abruptly started to comprehend that they too may face struggle crimes expenses.
“There was an immediate thought that there will not be solely sanctions in opposition to [us], but additionally extra severe issues, that it will be inconceivable to go away the nation,” one supply in a authorities ministry was quoted saying. He mentioned he himself didn't count on to face any legal prosecution, however that different members of the federal government may “perhaps” go down.
Two sources within the Russian parliament reportedly drew parallels to members of Adolf Hitler’s inside circle who killed themselves earlier than they may very well be tried within the Nuremberg Trials, Heinrich Himmler and Joseph Goebbels. One among them additionally recalled the destiny of Libyan chief Muammar Gaddafi after the Worldwide Prison Court docket issued a warrant for his arrest that accused him of crimes in opposition to humanity.
Members of the Federation Council, the higher chamber of parliament, mentioned amongst one another how Moscow may successfully reply to the arrest warrant after the information broke, sources mentioned.
However they got here up empty, based on one lawmaker, who admitted: “We haven’t provide you with something but.”
“That is some sort of blow to us [the Russian authorities] that our chief is supposedly a global legal,” a supply in parliament mentioned.
“On the one hand, it makes you rally round him. Then again, it’s as if we actually are in full international isolation.”
One other supply lamented that the West, based on him, had misplaced all “frequent sense.” It was “very disagreeable,” he mentioned. “I couldn’t take into consideration something after [the warrant], I felt anger and unhappiness.”
Whereas the Kremlin’s extra outspoken mouthpieces publicly blasted the courtroom’s order and claimed it didn’t pose any precise risk to Putin, lawmakers have been reportedly suggested to remain mum on the matter, and state-run information applications largely made no point out of it.
The one coordinated responses got here from Russia’s Investigative Committee, which mentioned it had launched a legal case in opposition to judges of the Worldwide Prison Court docket, and pro-Putin youth teams who launch a weird social media marketing campaign utilizing the hashtag “#WeAreAllPutin.”