THE HAGUE — Ukraine on Tuesday known as Russia a terrorist state on the prime UN court docket, as hearings started in a case over Moscow’s backing of pro-Russian separatists blamed for the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 in 2014.
It was the primary time legal professionals for Ukraine and Russia met on the International Court of Justice, often known as the World Court, since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Legal groups with dozens of representatives have been despatched by both sides.
A panel of 16 judges on the ICJ started listening to Ukraine’s declare that Moscow violated a UN anti-terrorism treaty by equipping and funding pro-Russian forces who worldwide investigators concluded shot down the jetliner over japanese Ukraine, killing all 298 passengers and crew.
In the identical declare, Ukraine has additionally requested the Hague-based court docket to order Russia to halt alleged discrimination in opposition to the Crimean Tatar ethnic group within the Ukrainian peninsula which was occupied by Russia in 2014.
In opening remarks, Ukrainian Ambassador-at-large Anton Korynevych commented on the destruction on the Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric dam within the southern Kherson area of Ukraine, which burst hours earlier.
Kyiv says Russia blew up the dam. Some Russian-installed officers have mentioned it was destroyed by Ukrainian shelling; others have mentioned it burst by itself.
“Russia cannot defeat us on the battle field, so it targets civilian infrastructure to try to freeze us into submission,” Korynevych instructed hearings. “Just today Russia blew up a major dam…causing significant civilian evacuations, ecological damages and threatening the safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.”
He added that “Russia’s actions are the actions of a terrorist state.”
Two Russians and a Ukrainian separatist have been convicted by a Dutch court docket of homicide within the case of flight MH17, which was shot down by a Russian-made missile on July 17, 2014 over pro-Russian separatist-held japanese Ukraine. — Reuters
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
