Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
December 8, 2025 International law
The International Court of Justice has ruled Russia's counterclaim in the case concerning allegations of genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation) admissible. It will be included in the proceedings. The Court also set deadlines for further submissions: Ukraine must submit its response by December 7, 2026, and Russia must submit its counterargument by December 7, 2027.
On February 26, 2022 – shortly after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion – Ukraine filed an application with the Court instituting proceedings against Russia regarding “a dispute… concerning the interpretation, application and implementation of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide".
According to press release International Court of Justice, Ukraine claims that "the Russian Federation falsely claimed to have committed acts of genocide in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine and, on that basis, recognized the so-called 'Donetsk People's Republic' and 'Luhansk People's Republic', and then declared and carried out a 'special military operation' against Ukraine."
Ukraine "categorically denies" committing such acts of genocide and says it filed the application "to establish that Russia has no legal basis to take action in and against Ukraine to prevent and punish the alleged genocide."
In March 2022, the Court issued a decision on provisional measures related to Ukraine's claim and ordered Russia to immediately suspend military actions in that country.
In February 2024, the Court ruled on the preliminary objections raised by Russia in October 2022: the Court has jurisdiction to entertain Ukraine's claim that it has found no credible evidence that "Ukraine is responsible for committing genocide."
Russia submitted counterclaims to the Court on November 18, 2024. Ukraine challenged their admissibility, but the objections were dismissed. "The Court concluded that it has jurisdiction to entertain the Russian Federation's counterclaims pursuant to Article IX of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide," the Court stated in a press release dated December 8, 2025.
The Court, located in The Hague, was established in 1945 to resolve disputes between states. It also issues advisory opinions on legal matters referred to it by other authorized UN organs.
The International Court of Justice is one of the six fundamental organs of the UN, along with the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Trusteeship Council, and the Secretariat. Unlike, for example, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the International Court is not a supreme court to which national courts may appeal: it is authorized to hear a dispute only at the request of one or more states.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.