Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise visit to The Hague, the Netherlands, on Thursday, where the International Criminal Court (ICC) is located. Zelensky denied that Ukrainian forces were behind a drone attack that the Kremlin claims was an assassination attempt on Putin.

In a speech titled “No Peace without Justice for Ukraine” given in The Hague, the city that hosts the International Criminal Court, Zelensky said that Putin “deserves to be sentenced for these criminal actions right here in the capital of the international law.”

“And I’m sure we will see that happen when we win. And we will win,” he said. The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, relating to the abduction of children.

“If we want true justice, we should not look for excuses and should not refer to the shortcomings of the current international law but make bold decisions that will correct that shortcomings that unfortunately exist in international law.”

This visit came after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The ICC staff raised a Ukrainian flag outside the building, although the visit was not officially confirmed. Ukraine's Air Force Command reported that Russian forces attacked multiple regions in Ukraine with Iranian-made drones overnight. There were reports of explosions and air raid sirens in Odesa and Kyiv.

Ukraine's military reported that drones with inscriptions referring to an alleged Ukrainian attack hit a dorm in Odesa, but there were no casualties.

Kyiv was also targeted by drones and missiles in the third airborne attack on the capital in four days, but all were shot down. Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy visited The Hague, where the International Criminal Court (ICC) is located. The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, but it is unlikely he will be arrested as the ICC has no police force and he is unlikely to travel to any of its 123 member states.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan has visited Ukraine and is setting up an office in Kyiv for ongoing investigations.

The ICC does not have the jurisdiction to prosecute Russian President Vladimir Putin for the crime of aggression in Ukraine. However, the Dutch government has offered to host a court that could prosecute this crime, and an office is being set up to gather evidence.

The new International Center for Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression is expected to be operational by summer. President Zelenskyy's visit to The Hague coincided with Russia's claim that it foiled a Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin, which it deemed an unsuccessful assassination attempt and promised retaliation for what it called a "terrorist" act.

Air raid sirens sounded in Kyiv, but there were no reports of airstrikes in the Ukrainian capital. Putin was outside Moscow at the time of the purported drone attack on the Kremlin, which Russian authorities claimed occurred overnight without presenting any evidence to support their claim.

Videos of the incident emerged later in the day, and questions have been raised about the Kremlin's delayed reporting of the attack. The White House was unable to confirm the authenticity of Russia's claims, and stated that the U.S. was not encouraging Ukraine to strike beyond its borders.

The Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, experienced air raid sirens, but no airstrikes were reported. Russian authorities claimed that an attempted drone attack on the Kremlin was thwarted overnight, but there was no independent verification, and the Kremlin presented no evidence to support its claims.

The US said it was unable to confirm the authenticity of Russia's accusations of a Ukrainian attack and was not encouraging Ukraine to strike beyond its border. The Dutch government has been a strong supporter of Ukraine's war effort and has promised military equipment, including tanks and air defense missile systems.

Zelenskyy's visit to The Hague coincided with a Dutch remembrance day for war dead.

The relationship between Russia and Ukraine became more tense on May 4, 2023, after Russia claimed that Ukraine attempted to assassinate Putin through a drone attack on the Kremlin citadel in Moscow.

In response, the Kremlin threatened to retaliate. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy denied any involvement and said that Ukraine is only fighting against Russian occupiers on their own territory.

On Wednesday, heavy Russian shelling in Ukraine's southern Kherson region killed 18 civilians and injured 46 others, including three engineers trying to repair damage to the power grid from previous Russian bombardments.

Ukrainian officials stated that the shelling hit a hypermarket, a railway station, and residential buildings.

Additionally, oil depots in southern Russia and Ukraine were ablaze as both sides continued to escalate a drone war ahead of Ukraine's promised spring counteroffensive against Russian forces.

Ukraine claims to have shot down 21 of 26 Iranian-made drones in an overnight volley. While Moscow claims to have struck military targets, Kyiv accuses them of destroying infrastructure as preparation for their planned ground assault. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy, who visited Finland on Wednesday, has promised that the long-anticipated counteroffensive will start soon, with the aid of sophisticated Western weaponry.