A senior Russian official has strongly condemned the International Criminal Court (ICC) for issuing arrest warrants against top Taliban leaders, framing the move as politically driven and biased in Favour of Western interests.
Konstantin Kosachev, the deputy speaker of Russia’s Federation Council, issued a statement via Telegram, criticizing the ICC for what he called a “sudden burst of concern” about Afghanistan. He claimed the court had long ignored alleged war crimes in the country—until Russia began making moves toward officially recognizing the Taliban-led government in Kabul.
Kosachev accused the ICC of “clear double standards,” pointing out the court’s silence on actions by U.S. and NATO forces during their two-decade military occupation of Afghanistan.
The ICC this week announced arrest warrants for Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and the regime’s top judge Abdul Hakim Haqqani. The charges include crimes against humanity, particularly gender-based persecution.
Russian support for the Taliban highlights a dramatic shift in geopolitical alignments, as Moscow increasingly positions itself as a counterweight to Western influence in the region—even siding with its former adversaries.
