Ulaanbaatar hosts Russian leader, overlooking warrant for alleged deportation of Ukrainian children
Vladimir Putin concluded his official visit to Mongolia without incident, as Ulaanbaatar chose to overlook the international arrest warrant against the Russian president.
Upon his arrival in the Mongolian capital on Tuesday, Putin was welcomed by an honor guard as he prepared to meet with Mongolia’s leader, Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. Despite calls for his arrest under the international warrant, Mongolia, a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), refrained from taking action.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin last year, citing alleged war crimes in Ukraine, including the deportation of children to Russia. Yet, the Russian leader was met with a warm reception. Genghis Khan Square, the heart of Ulaanbaatar, was adorned with large Mongolian and Russian flags, marking his first visit to the neighboring country in five years.
While Putin’s visit was mostly met with formalities, a small protest took place the day before his arrival. A few demonstrators held signs demanding, “Get war criminal Putin out of here.” Ukraine had urged Mongolia to arrest Putin and hand him over to the ICC in The Hague, citing the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children—an issue that has drawn international condemnation since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
However, the prospect of any action against Putin was slim from the outset. Mongolia has neither condemned Russia’s military actions nor voted against it at the United Nations.
“President Putin is a fugitive from justice,” stated Altantuya Batdorj, executive director of Amnesty International Mongolia, on Monday. She emphasized that any ICC member state failing to arrest Putin would only embolden his actions and weaken the ICC’s authority.
Although ICC members are obligated to detain individuals with an active warrant, the court lacks enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance. A Kremlin spokesperson had previously downplayed concerns over Putin’s potential detention during the visit, signaling that the Russian government was unconcerned.
Mongolia, geographically positioned between Russia and China, remains heavily reliant on Russia for fuel and electricity and on China for investment in its mining sector. Historically aligned with Moscow during the Soviet era, Mongolia has since the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 maintained balanced relations with both Russia and China.
While Putin was being welcomed in Mongolia, his forces were carrying out a deadly strike on a military training facility and a nearby hospital in Poltava, Ukraine, resulting in at least 51 deaths and over 200 injuries, according to Ukrainian authorities. The attack marked one of the most devastating incidents since the war began.
During the visit, Mongolia and Russia signed several agreements, including plans to design and study the feasibility of a power plant upgrade in Ulaanbaatar and to ensure a stable supply of Russian aviation fuel to Mongolia. Another agreement focused on an environmental study of a river where Mongolia intends to build a hydroelectric plant, a project that has raised concerns in Russia due to its potential impact on Lake Baikal.
Putin also discussed plans to enhance the rail system between the two countries and extended an invitation to the Mongolian president to attend the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in late October—a proposal that Khurelsukh accepted, according to Russian state media.
The visit concluded with an honor guard lining Putin’s path to his plane, marking the end of his diplomatic mission.
ALSO READ: Putin’s historic visit to North Korea strengthens their strategic alliance amid global tensions
