Overview

• Putin will not attend the BRICS summit in South Africa next month to avoid potential arrest under an ICC warrant accusing him of war crimes in Ukraine.
• Russia and South Africa mutually agreed Putin should not attend to prevent a diplomatic crisis over the arrest warrant.
• South Africa warned that arresting Putin could be seen by Russia as a declaration of war.
• Russia will instead be represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the summit of BRICS nations.
• The ICC has charged Putin with involvement in illegally deporting Ukrainian children to Russia.