Former Wagner Fighter Exposes Russian 'War Crimes' to The Hague

A former officer in Russia's mercenary outfit Wagner has arrived in the Netherlands to testify at the International Criminal Court (ICC) about Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Igor Salikov, who claimed to have witnessed atrocities against civilians and child abductions, stated that the orders for these crimes came from Russia's Defense Ministry, intelligence services, and even President Vladimir Putin himself. The ICC had previously called for the arrest of Putin and his children's rights commissioner over their alleged responsibility for the unlawful deportation and transfer of children from Ukraine. Salikov, who fled Russia with his family, is ready to "plead guilty" to the charges. However, it remains unclear how the ICC will respond to his written statement.