ICJ to examine Russian accusations of "genocide" in Ukraine this week

The International Court of Justice, the United Nations' highest judicial body, will examine the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on Monday and Tuesday.

The judges won't look at the invasion and the war itself but at the run-up thereto. Russia accused Ukraine of genocide against Russian-speaking and pro-Russian residents of the renegade regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Moscow first recognized the independence of those two regions and then invaded Ukraine. According to Russia, the invasion - which it called a "special military operation" - was justified to protect the inhabitants of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Ukraine took the matter to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that there was no genocide at all and wants the UN judges to rule that Russia "had no legal basis whatsoever to take action in and against Ukraine to prevent and punish genocide."

Ukraine will speak on Monday. Russia will have the opportunity to respond on Tuesday.

The International Court of Justice is located in the Peace Palace in The Hague. So far, no demonstrations have been registered with the municipality.