He is accused of being responsible for war crimes in Ukraine.

There has been global outrage at sights of mass executions, such as in Bucha outside Kyiv earlier in the conflict, and missile attacks on apartment buildings and hospitals.

Moscow has denied war crimes allegations.

It is unlikely that the arrest warrant will have any immediate affect on Putin so long as he remains in Russia or allied states.

The ICC, based in The Hague in the Netherlands, has also issued an arrest warrant for Maria Lvova-Belova.

She is a Russian government official who has allegedly masterminded a scheme to forcibly deport Ukrainian children to Russia.

Ukraine’s presidential office said on Friday the ICC’s decision was just an initial step in restoring justice over Russia’s invasion.

“The Hague Chamber of the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin. This is just the beginning,” Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak said on social media.