DISINFO: In The Hague, there is no case against Russia related to Ukraine

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the lawsuit trial between Ukraine and Russia at the International Court of Justice in Hague. Read a similar case, claiming that Ukraine’s lawsuit against Russia is groundless. Ukraine has filed a complaint against Russia to the International Court of Justice in Hague on 17 January 2017, concerning the events in separatist areas of Ukraine, Donetsk and Lugansk, including the downing of the MH17 Malaysian plane in July 2014. Ukraine invoked the violation of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Ukraine requested the Court ”to adjudge and declare that the Russian Federation bears international responsibility, by virtue of its sponsorship of terrorism and failure to prevent the financing of terrorism under the Convention, for the acts of terrorism committed by its proxies in Ukraine”, and ”to adjudge and declare that the Russian Federation, through its State organs, State agents, and other persons and entities exercising governmental authority, including the de facto authorities administering the illegal Russian occupation of Crimea, and through other agents acting on its instructions or under its direction and control, has violated its obligations under the CERD”. See details here. On 8 November 2019, the Court fixed the time-limit for Russian Federation to present the counter-memorial in this trial. In the same Judgment, the Court rejected the preliminary objection raised by the Russian Federation to the admissibility of the Application of Ukraine in relation to the claims under CERD. Thus, the UN Court will consider the case. The lawsuit was filed at the International Court of Justice by the then President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, in early 2017.