HAGUE: The United Nation’s top court on Wednesday denied Ukraine’s bid for measures to block alleged Russian support to rebels in Eastern Ukraine. Citing lack of evidence, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) said Kiev did not provide sufficient evidence of Russia’s alleged involvement in the now 4-year conflict indicating that they needed “to show that any funds from Moscow” were used to “cause death or serious bodily harm to a civilian.”
The International Court of Justice blocked Ukraine’s bid to stop rebel funding. Credit:ICJ-CIJ/UN.org
The government in Kiev had been seeking an emergency interim court order demanding that Russia stop backing separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine and to take control of its border by preventing people, funds and weapons from reaching the east while the case is heard in full.
However, the judges did order Moscow to stop discriminating against ethnic Tatars in Crimea annexed by Russia 3 years ago. The Court said Russia “must refrain from maintaining or imposing limitations on the ability of the Crimean community to conserve its representative institutions, including the Mejlis [Tatar Congress].”
The Mejlis is the legislative body of the Tatars which Russia banned last year.
In a 13-3 decision, the ICJ also urged Russia to ensure the availability of “education in the Ukrainian language” in Crimea.
Ukraine failed to get order to order Russian to stop funding pro-Russia rebels in eastern Ukraine. Credit: Vadim Ghirda/AP
Relations between Russia and Ukraine have fallen to an all-time since Kiev ousted its pro-Russian government and President during mass protests in 2014 mass protests. Russian later denounced the uprising as a western-orchestrated coup and responded by annexing Crimea. Moscow also responded by backing rebel groups that were fighting the new Ukrainian government and military in the country’s two eastern regions.
Moscow continues to deny accusations that it is supplying rebels with weapons or active military personnel.
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