Putin, the ICC, and the Paradox of Playing by the Rules

Written on 6 June 2025.

Putin, the ICC, and the Paradox of Playing by the Rules

Introduction

The war in Ukraine, now well into its third year, continues to generate complex questions about strategy, morality, and leadership. A recent Telegram post from Mike Adams (Health Ranger) highlighted a Russian missile barrage on Kiev, which, despite its scale, left a civilian building with both electricity and internet bandwidth. This observation reinforces the ongoing perception that Russia, under President Vladimir Putin, has been unusually restrained in targeting civilian infrastructure. The question arises: is Putin deliberately playing by the rules of war—and if so, why? And is such restraint ultimately costing Russia the victory it could have otherwise seized?

ICC Arrest Warrant and Putin's Calculations

On March 17, 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin for the war crimes of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children to Russia. The warrant makes international travel risky for Putin, as ICC member states are obliged to arrest him if he sets foot on their soil.

This precedent is not symbolic. For example, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte faced similar international scrutiny and restrictions for alleged extrajudicial killings under his drug war. The ICC is clearly capable of executing its warrants under the right conditions, and this looming threat may be influencing how Putin conducts the war.

Military Restraint or Strategic Error?

Despite having the military capability to destroy Ukraine's electric grid, key dams, and vital civilian infrastructure—actions that could cripple the country—Putin has instead chosen to focus on government buildings and military targets. Mike Adams notes that a civilian contact in Kiev, under bombardment, still had electricity and internet. That alone suggests that Russia is not targeting power infrastructure, at least not systematically.

But governmental operations are mobile. National command can be moved from a palace to a house. Destroying a building does not destroy the ability to govern. Conversely, eliminating the electric grid would have paralyzed the population and the state far more effectively.

Religious Justification and Misapplication

Putin has invoked the verse, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13), seemingly in reference to Russian soldiers dying in the conflict. This is a dangerous theological misappropriation. That verse refers to the unique sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. To apply it to state warfare is not only inaccurate but borders on blasphemous, especially given the wasteful loss of life involved.

Is Putin Trying to Win?

These patterns raise the unsettling possibility that Putin may not actually be trying to win in any meaningful sense. If he were, he could have overwhelmed Ukraine years ago through targeted strikes on essential infrastructure. Instead, he has engaged in prolonged warfare, sacrificing thousands of Russian lives in the process.

The analysis leads to a harsh but unavoidable triad of possibilities: either Putin is

• Stupid, for failing to understand how to win efficiently,
• A coward, for fearing the consequences of decisive military action,
• Or a psychopath, for prolonging a war without aim, at massive human cost.

Conclusion

Whatever Putin's motivations—legal caution, moral pretense, or something darker—the result is a drawn-out war that neither ends nor advances. Ukraine remains functional, its people remain defiant, and Russia continues to expend blood and resources without clear results. By playing by the rules, Putin may be losing a war he otherwise could have ended.