ICC Arrest Warrant For Putin To Complicate Russia's Diplomatic Offensive

Russian independent news website Meduza cites sources close to the Kremlin, who suggest that the presidential administration sees the International Criminal Court's (ICC) warrant arrest for Vladimir Putin as the West's "most unexpected move" which will complicate Moscow's attempt to deepen partnerships with non-Western countries.

• Meduza notes that the Kremlin was planning to promote Putin as a "fighter against the West," a champion of resistance against "colonial oppression, and "one of the main leaders of the multipolar world. The Russia-Africa parliamentary conference which wrapped up in Moscow yesterday was one example of these efforts.
• The Kremlin sees the ICC decision as throwing sand into its gears as it is unsure how to ensure the President's safety if he were to travel to one of the 123 signatories of the Rome Statute. Meduza's sources noted that nobody believes that Putin would be arrested, but a probability of "tenths, hundredths of a percent is always there."
• Sources told Meduza that Putin's foreign trips are very important, including for domestic propaganda, as state-controlled media can circulate evidence to back up claims that "Russia still has more friends than ill-wishers." The arrest warrant has already created certain awkwardness around Putin's planned trip to South Africa.