The United Nations’ International Court of Justice ordered Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine this week, insisting that its bench had seen no evidence to support the Kremlin’s justification for the war.
The court said that Russia’s claims that Ukraine was committing genocide against Russian speakers in its country, namely in the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, were unsubstantiated.
In a ruling of 13 votes to two, the court made a provisional order that the Russian Federation should immediately suspend all military operations in Ukraine that began on February 23. The only two judges to rule in Russia’s favor were from Russia and China.
United States Judge Joan Donoghue, the president of the court, said that there was no evidence to back up Russia’s claims and that even in the case of genocide, it is “doubtful” that the Genocide Convention gives authority to a country to use unilateral force in another state.
It was a ruling that has, so far, been entirely ignored by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The court did make one unanimous agreement, however.
“Both parties shall refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute before the Court or make it more difficult to resolve,” the order reads.
Russia Ignores Order and Continues Invasion
By failing to abide by the order, Russia has broken international legal obligation – though, the court has no official means of enforcement.
In violation of the order, Russian troops continue their assault on Ukraine, destroying a theater in Mariupol on Wednesday and shelling other cities across the country. The attacks continue even as peace talks between Ukraine and Russia remain ongoing.
In Kyiv, residents stayed at home after a 36-hour curfew was implemented on Wednesday. Kiev endured yet more bombs on Wednesday and Thursday, with a residential neighborhood only 1.5 miles from the presidential palace erupting in flames after being hit by shrapnel.
Peace talks have yet to resolve the military conflict, but an official from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office told The Associated Press that the main issue now under discussion between the two parties is whether or not Russian troops should remain in the separatist regions of Ukraine, Donetsk, and Luhansk after the war ends.
What is the International Court of Justice?
The International Court of Justice is a United Nations court designed to settle legal disputes between states. It provides advisory opinions on various kinds of international legal issues and resolved disputes in accordance with international law.
The court is located in The Hague, Netherlands, and is the only international court that rules on and adjudicates disagreements between countries.
The court often handles cases of war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression, and genocide.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
