Ukraine v. Russia : International Court Of Justice Concludes Hearing Ukraine's Application; Russia Refuses To Appear [LIVE UPDATES]

Ukraine: Russian President Vladimir Putin in his address this week overtly denied Ukraine's right to exist.

Ukraine: The Ukraine Foreign Minister before the UN General Assembly had stated that Russia's accusations are absurd. Ukraine has never threatened or attacked anyone. Ukraine has never planned and does not plan any such actions.

Ukraine: Less than a month ago on Feb 16, 2022 the US State Department had denounced the accusation of genocide put forward by Russia as aimed at fabricating the text to launch a military invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine: It is so evident that when one State accuses the other of breaching the Genocide Convention and the other initiates judicial proceedings against the agents of the former announcing that they have been making false allegations, the jurisdiction of the ICJ is established.

Ukraine: The behavior of the parties may also be taken into account specifically in the absence of diplomatic exchanges in order to infer whether a "dispute" exists.

Ukraine argues that at the stage of provisional measures what needs to be checked is the prima facie existence of a dispute relative to the application of the Convention. Relies on the ICJ judgement in Marshall Island v. UK.

Ukraine cites Article IX of the Genocide Convention to contend that the ICJ has jurisdiction to adjudicate the matter. Furthers states that both Russia and Ukraine are parties to the Convention and neither of them have any reservation which is currently in force.

Ukraine: The Court may indicate provisional measures if the provisions relied upon by the Applicant appear prima facie to afford a basis on which its jurisdiction could be founded. But need not satisfy itself in a definitive measure.

Agent of Ukraine: The right not to see its population terrorized in the name of the Genocide Convention. These rights claimed by Ukraine are according to the accepted formula at least plausible. We have moved well beyond the risk of "irreparable prejudice" to extreme urgency.

Ukraine: Some people will say that Feb 24, 2022 is a back day in the history of the Genocide Convention. Time is one thing we don't have. That is why Ukraine requests the Court to act swiftly indicating the provisional measures.