ALBAWABA - The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has greenlit an investigation into Ukraine's claim that Russia committed genocide against the Russian-speaking population in eastern Ukraine.
The court, led by U.S. judge Joan Donoghue and consisting of a 16-judge panel, will specifically focus on determining if the alleged genocide took place in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, currently under Russian control.
However, the ICJ ruled that it lacks jurisdiction over Ukraine's broader claim, which accuses Russia of violating the United Nations Genocide Convention by invading the country.
The case originated from Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, where it used allegations of genocide by the Kiev government in the eastern regions as a justification for its occupation. In response, Ukraine sought an investigation to counter Russia's claims.
The ICJ's decision narrows down its inquiry to assess whether the Kiev government indeed committed genocide in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, presently under Russian authority.
Estimating the value of the Ivanovets, the alleged sunken ship, to be between $60-70 million, the incident adds to the ongoing conflicts between Ukraine and Russia since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Notably, the ICJ's investigation excludes Ukraine's assertion that Russia breached the UN Genocide Convention by invading the country.
This development comes in the wake of the ICJ's recent decision on Ukraine's 2017 case, accusing Russia of violating the anti-terrorism treaty's terrorism financing provisions in Eastern Ukraine. The court predominantly acquitted Russia of these charges on Wednesday.
