Ukraine war updates: Russia orders arrest of ICC judge

Russia is seeking the arrest of another International Criminal Court (ICC) judge. This time, Sergio Gerardo Ugaldo Godinez is wanted "in the framework of a criminal investigation."

The notice announcing the warrant gave no details about why Moscow wants the Costa Rican judge arrested.

The Netherlands-based ICC has called for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the accusation of unlawfully deporting children.

In other news, media in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk say a Russia-backed politician was killed in a car bomb.

Here's a look at the latest developments on Wednesday, November 8, in Russia's war in Ukraine:

Russia seeks arrest of another ICC judge

Russia has placed another judge from the International Criminal Court (ICC) — which is seeking the arrest of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin — on its wanted list.

A notice in the Interior Ministry's database, referring to Costa Rican judge Sergio Gerardo Ugaldo Godinez, said he was "wanted in the framework of a criminal investigation."

The notice gave no details about the allegations against Godinez.

The ICC in March issued an arrest warrant for Putin over the war crime accusation of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children. 

It also announced a warrant, on similar charges, against Maria Lvova-Belova, Moscow's presidential commissioner for children's rights.

Russia is not a member of the ICC, and the Kremlin insists the warrant against Putin is "void," although it has restricted the Russian leader's travels abroad, with ICC member countries expected to implement warrants issued by the court.

Putin avoided attending a BRICS summit of emerging economies in South Africa in August, saying he did not want to create "problems for our friends," and was also absent at the G20 summit in India in September.

Russia has previously issued arrest warrants for ICC prosecutor Karim Khan and several judges, as well as ICC President Piotr Hofmanski.

The ICC opened a field office in Ukraine in September as part of efforts to investigate war crimes in the wake of Russia's invasion of the country.

Pro-Russia politician killed in Luhansk car bomb

Local media in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk report that a Moscow-backed politician there was killed in a car bombing.

"As a result of an explosive device that detonated in Mikhail Filiponenko's car, the People's Council deputy received injuries incompatible with life," his son told the Luhansk Information Centre, a news agency run by Russian-installed officials in the region.

Moscow says no progress on grain deal

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says efforts by the United Nations to revive the Black Sea grain initiative have so far proved fruitless.

Russia withdrew from the deal, which had allowed Ukraine to safely export grain from its Black Sea ports, in July. 

Moscow's forces have frequently attacked Ukrainian ports and storage facilities since then, with Kyiv saying the assaults have destroyed hundreds of thousands of tons of grain.

Russia ended the deal, complaining that it still faces barriers to its exports of grain and fertilizer.

Russian official says Western policies pose nuclear risk

The secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, has said the "destructive" policies of the United States and its allies have increased the risk that nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons will be used.

"The natural consequence of the United States' destructive policies is the deterioration in global security," state news agency TASS quoted Patrushev, who is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, as saying.

"The risk that nuclear, chemical and biological weapons will be used is increasing," Patrushev said. "The international arms control regime has been undermined."

Meanwhile, Patrushev claimed that Ukraine had attempted to target three of Russia's nuclear power stations.