The Guardian reports, citing Russian state media.Russian leader Vladimir Putin has awarded a medal for courage to the overall commander of Russia’s war in Ukraine, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged crimes against humanity.Army general Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff of Russia’s armed forces and one of the most powerful men in the Russian military, received the Order of Courage on Monday, his 70th birthday. The award was given “for courage, bravery and dedication displayed in the fulfillment of military duty,” according to a decree published on Russia’s official legal acts website.Gerasimov is widely regarded as the chief architect of Russia’s modern warfare strategy. The United States sanctioned him the day after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, saying he was directly responsible for the assault.In June 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Gerasimov and former defense minister Sergei Shoigu, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The court said there were “reasonable grounds to believe” the two men bore responsibility for missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure between October 2022 and March 2023.Moscow, which is not a party to the ICC, has rejected the charges, insisting that Ukrainian power facilities are legitimate military targets and denying deliberate attacks on civilians.