Ukraine to confront Russia at International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was established after World War II to settle disputes between UN member nations. Its decisions are binding, but it has no way of enforcing them
Representational image. Reuters
Ukraine will accuse Russia of supporting pro-Moscow rebels for years before to last year’s full-scale invasion at the United Nation’s highest court on Tuesday.
In a lawsuit initiated by Ukraine in 2017, Kyiv and Moscow will present their views to judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.
In a subsequent lawsuit, Ukraine accused Moscow of plotting genocide in relation to Russia’s invasion in February 2022. In this instance, the ICJ ordered Russia to halt its invasion.
Ukraine’s lawyers will address the court on Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time (0800 GMT), while Russia’s will do so on Thursday, according to an ICJ statement. Ukraine will then respond on 12 June, followed by Russia on 14 June.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was established after World War II to settle disputes between UN member nations. Its decisions are binding, but it has no way of enforcing them.
Ukraine claims Russia violated UN norms on terrorism financing and racial discrimination, and is demanding restitution for pro-Moscow rebel actions in eastern Ukraine since 2014.
Approximately 13,000 individuals were killed in the eight years of turmoil preceding the 2022 invasion.
Ukraine says Russia funnelled arms and cash to fighters behind a separatist insurgency that broke out after the pro-Russian government in Kyiv was toppled by pro-EU protests in early 2014.
War crimes allegations
Russia has denied all links to the rebels. Since the invasion, it now holds much of the territory where the violence took place and where the separatists were in charge.
The dead in eastern Ukraine include 298 people killed when Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down with a Russian-made BUK missile over rebel territory in July 2014.
A Dutch court ruled last year that Moscow had directly controlled the rebels, as it sentenced two Russians and a Ukrainian separatist to life sentences in absentia over MH17.
International investigators said separately in February this year that there were “strong indications” that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally approved the supply of the missile that downed the plane.
ICJ judges ruled that the case could go ahead in 2019, after dismissing Russia’s attempts to have it thrown out.
Russia faces a series of legal actions in The Hague over the conflict in Ukraine.
The International Criminal Court (ICC), an independent war crimes tribunal which like the ICJ is also based in the Dutch city, issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March.
Putin is accused by the ICC of the war crime of unlawfully deporting children from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia.
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.