Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

World Court to hear Russian objections to Ukraine genocide case

Ukrainian soldiers fire an AS90 as they take part in a military exercise at a military training camp in an undisclosed location in England on March 24, 2023. The second cohort of Ukrainian artillery recruits come to the end of their training on the formidable AS90 155mm self-propelled gun. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Ukrainian soldiers fire an AS90 as they take part in a military exercise at a military training camp in an undisclosed location in England on March 24, 2023. The second cohort of Ukrainian artillery recruits come to the end of their training on the formidable AS90 155mm self-propelled gun. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Share
THE HAGUE -

Russia and Ukraine will square off before the International Court of Justice on Monday in a case that centres around claims by Moscow that its invasion of Ukraine was done to prevent genocide.

Ukraine brought the case to the United Nations' highest court just days after the Russian invasion on Feb. 24 last year. Kyiv argues Russia is abusing international law by saying the invasion was justified to prevent an alleged genocide in eastern Ukraine.

Russian officials continue to accuse Ukraine of committing genocide.

Russia wants the case to be thrown out and objects to the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The hearings, set to run until Sept. 27, will not delve into the merits of the case and are instead focused on legal arguments about jurisdiction.

Moscow says Ukraine is using the case as a roundabout way to get a ruling on the overall legality of its military action.

Ukraine has already cleared one hurdle as the court decided in its favour in a preliminary decision in the case in March last year. Based on that, the court ordered Russia to cease military actions in Ukraine immediately.

In the hearings the court will also hear from 32 other states, all supporting Ukraine's argument that the court has jurisdiction to move the case forward.

"It is looking fairly positive for the court to find it has jurisdiction," Juliette McIntyre, a law lecturer at the University of South Australia and ICJ watcher, said.

While Russia has so far ignored the ICJ's orders to stop its military actions and the court has no way of enforcing its decisions, experts say an eventual ruling in favor of Ukraine could be important for any future reparations claims.

"If the court finds there was no lawful justification under the Genocide Convention for Russia's acts, the decision can set up a future claim for compensation," McIntyre said.

The United Nations' 1948 Genocide Convention defines genocide as crimes committed "with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such."

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.