Russia has placed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, along with his predecessor Petro Poroshenko, as reported by Russian state media citing the interior ministry’s database. The specific criminal charges against Zelenskyy and Poroshenko remain unspecified at this time. Independent Russian news outlet Mediazona claimed that both individuals have been on the wanted list for months.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry swiftly dismissed the reports of Zelenskyy’s inclusion, attributing it to what they described as the desperation of the Russian state machine and propaganda.
Notably, Russia's wanted list also includes officials and lawmakers from Ukraine and NATO countries. Among them is Kaja Kallas, the prime minister of NATO and EU member Estonia, who has been vocal in advocating for increased military aid to Kyiv and stronger sanctions against Moscow.
Russian officials have cited Kallas's alleged involvement in the removal of Soviet-era monuments to Red Army soldiers in Estonia as the reason for her inclusion on the wanted list. This action is part of a broader trend in Baltic nations, including Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, to dismantle symbols associated with Soviet occupation.
Furthermore, Russia has laws prohibiting the rehabilitation of Nazism and the desecration of war memorials. The country's wanted list also features cabinet ministers from Estonia and Lithuania, as well as the International Criminal Court prosecutor who prepared a warrant for President Vladimir Putin on war crimes charges.
The Kremlin has persistently attempted to link Ukraine’s leadership to Nazism, despite the country having a democratically elected Jewish president with family ties to the Holocaust. Moscow's stated goals in its military operation against Ukraine include de-Nazification, de-militarization, and advocating for a neutral status for Ukraine.
Historically, World War II and the Soviet Union's role in defeating the Nazis hold significant importance in Russia's national identity. The country has faced criticism for downplaying any collaboration by Soviet citizens in the persecution of Jews and allegations of crimes committed by Red Army soldiers in Eastern Europe.
