Russia puts Ukrainian, Western officials on wanted list: ISW explains why

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reports.

"The Russian government is charging Ukrainian servicemen and military officials with crimes in absentia as part of its efforts to enforce Russian federal law outside of its jurisdiction and insinuate that Ukraine should not exist as an independent state," the statement says.

According to analysts, Russia's decision to put Western officials on the wanted list for violating Russian federal laws outside of Russia is part of its efforts to violate the sovereignty of NATO member states and justify possible future Russian aggression against NATO.

Instead, the Kremlin's prosecution of Ukrainian military personnel and political leadership who are engaged in a fully lawful, defensive war against an invasion by a foreign power in a manner akin to domestic terrorists, according to analysts, highlights Russia's enduring belief that the Ukrainian state does not and should not exist as a political entity separate from Russia.

What preceded it

Earlier, the Russian Interior Ministry put President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the fifth president, Petro Poroshenko, and the commander of the Land Forces, Oleksandr Pavliuk, on the wanted list.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called the Russian wanted notices evidence of the desperation of the Russian state machine and propaganda.

The Institute for the Study of War called Russia's wanted list for Zelenskyy, Poroshenko, and Pavliuk preparations for the Maidan-3 special operation.

In addition, Russia put on the wanted list Ukrainian ex-NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov, former Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, former Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, former Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, and former Justice Minister Pavlo Petrenko.

Later, the Russian Interior Ministry's website stopped displaying wanted notices for Ukrainian presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Petro Poroshenko.