Russia slams decision by top UN court to allow 32 countries to take part in genocide trial on Ukraine's side

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Russian Foreign Ministry on Saturday slammed the UN Court of Justice's decision to allow more than 30 countries to take part in a genocide trial against Russia in support of Ukraine.

The ministry said the court authorized 32 countries to take part in the trial -- all of them support Ukraine.

"The Court satisfied the demand of the Russian Federation and unanimously refused admission to the USA to this case. At the same time, all states admitted as 'third parties' take a pro-Ukrainian position and belong to the Western camp," it said in a statement on its website.

Russia views the entry of states in favor of one side of the dispute as "an unacceptable violation of the principle of equality of the parties and abuse of procedural rights," it said.

The ministry warned that the decision will be "for sure" used later against the structure.

The diplomatic service also said the course taken by the "collective West" to politicize the system of international justice and turn it into "a tool of persecution" threatens to undermine the entire system of peaceful dispute resolution, which is the basis of international relations.

"It is quite obvious that such schemes will be used in the future not only against Russia but also against other states opposing Washington's hegemonic aspirations. This is the whole essence of the so–called 'rules-based order' imposed by a narrow group of Western states -- justice not for everyone, but for the chosen," it said.

Ukraine sued Russia on Feb. 26, 2002, in the International Court of Justice under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide because of Moscow's "special military operation."

On March 16, 2022, the court ruled that Russia must "immediately suspend the military operations" in Ukraine, while it waits for a final decision on the case.