Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Mongolia, his first visit to an International Criminal Court (ICC) member since it issued a warrant for his arrest last year.
He was welcomed by Mongolia’s leader at a lavish ceremony in the Asian nation’s capital Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday.
The Russian leader is wanted by the court for the alleged illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
A spokesperson from the Kremlin said it was not concerned Mr Putin would be arrested during the visit.Soldiers on horseback lined the capital’s Genghis Khan Square as martial anthems were played by a live band to welcome the Russian leader, who met with the Mongolian president Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh.
A small group of protesters gathered at the square on Monday afternoon, holding a sign demanding “Get War Criminal Putin out of here”.
Another protest is planned for midday Tuesday at Ulaanbaatar’s Monument for the Politically Repressed, which commemorates those who suffered under Mongolia’s decades-long Soviet-backed communist regime.
Other protestors were prevented from getting close to the Russian president on his arrival by security forces.
Ahead of his visit, Ukraine had urged Mongolia to arrest Mr Putin.
“We call on the Mongolian authorities to comply with the mandatory international arrest warrant and transfer Putin to the International Criminal Court in the Hague,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on Telegram.
The court alleged last year that the Russian president was responsible for war crimes, focusing on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.
It has also issued a warrant for the arrest of Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, for the same crimes.
It alleges the crimes were committed in Ukraine from 24 February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Moscow has previously denied the allegations and said the warrants were “outrageous”.
