Russia has remained silent in the face of Kiev’s accusations before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Ukraine pleaded alone on Monday, March 7, during hearings at the Peace Palace in The Hague. At the opening of the debates, the President of the ICJ, Joan Donoghue, deplored the decision of the Russian government ” not to participate in the oral proceedings without further details. One of Russia’s lawyers, the Frenchman Alain Pellet, announced in a letter last week that he would give up defending Russia.
“They are not before a Court of Justice, they are on the battlefield to wage an aggressive war”, denounced Ukraine. At the head of the delegation, Anton Korynevich evoked for long minutes the urgency ” vitale to act and order Moscow to suspend its military operation. In seizing the ICJ two days after the start of the war, Ukraine said in substance: let’s settle it as civilized nations. Lay down your arms and advance your evidence “, explained the diplomat. He wants to believe that Moscow knows that international law matters. Otherwise why would Russia try to justify its aggression? ? ».
To be able to seize the Court, Kiev accuses Moscow of having abused the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide to justify its war. In announcing the entry of his troops into Ukraine on February 24, Vladimir Putin said he wanted to prevent an ongoing genocide in the Donbass, in eastern Ukraine. “It’s a terrible lie”, denounced Anton Korynevitch. Corn “When Putin lies, Ukrainians, our citizens, die”he said visibly moved.
“Russia smears the memory of the Holocaust”
He then spoke about the ongoing disaster: “ Russian bombs and missiles falling on our cities “, the ” million people at risk “, the some 15,000 people, most often women and children, sheltering in the tunnels of the Kiev metro… The diplomat, representative of President Volodymyr Zelensky in Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, deplored no longer power ” provide state services to those residing in the occupied territories, including anti-Covid vaccination. »
With its pleading, Kiev also wanted once again to warn of the risks of Russian aggression beyond the borders of Ukraine. “Russia smears the memory of the Holocaust by saying it wants to denazify Ukraine”most “We have to remember that in World War II, Ukrainians and Russians fought together. We must remember that on the ashes of Europe, after the Second World War, the world built the pillars of modern international law.the United Nations Charter and the Genocide Convention.
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