As Russia’s attacks on Ukraine continue, the United Nations’ (UN) International Court of Justice (ICJ), which resolves disputes between states, started a hearing today at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, regarding the attack in Ukraine. Ukraine asked the court to order Russia to stop the attack and take interim measures, while Russia refused to attend the opening hearing of the case.
“THE RUSSIA’S EMPTY SEATS SAY A LOT”
While Judge Joan Donoghue said that the ICJ regrets the absence of the Russian Federation during these oral proceedings, diplomat Anton Korynevich, who headed the Ukrainian delegation, said, “The fact that Russia’s seats are empty says a lot. They are not before the court, they are on the battlefield to wage an aggressive war against my country. This is how Russia resolves disputes. “Putin is lying and Ukrainians, our citizens are dying,” he said.
URGENT PROTECTIVE MEASURE REQUEST FROM UKRAINE
While Russia claimed that it wanted to avoid a genocide in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in defense of the attack, Ukraine argued at the hearing that the accusation of genocide was false and did not legally justify an invasion. Ukraine asked 15 judges to declare that Ukraine has not committed any acts of genocide in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and that Russia cannot take any action based on false genocide allegations. While waiting for the court to decide on the merits of the case, which could take years, Ukraine demanded that the judges take urgent protective measures.
UKRAINE REQUESTED THE COURT
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his speech announcing the armed intervention in Ukraine, said that he wanted to protect the Russian-speaking peoples from the genocide of the Kyiv regime and that a “special military operation” was needed for this. Ukraine made a court request to the ICJ, which was established in 1946, 2 days after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 26. (UAV)