Russian court targets Ukraine's former top officials with arrest warrants

They were charged with allegedly "using prohibited means and methods of warfare" under Part 1 of Article 356 of the Russian Criminal Code.

The former Ukrainian officials are now considered wanted by Russian authorities, along with former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces Ruslan Khomchak, Commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Oleksandr Pavliuk, former Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, and Ukraine's fifth president, Petro Poroshenko.

On May 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was also added to Russia's wanted list in what the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called a desperate act by the Russian state machine and propaganda. The ministry stressed that Russia and its propaganda are grasping for attention and have no substantial evidence to support their claims against Ukrainian officials.