A hearing is now going on at the Peace Palace Center on whether the ICJ has jurisdiction or not.
Russia’s legal team argued on Monday that the case should be dropped.
If Kiev denies that genocide took place in eastern Ukraine, why is the court considering a case under the Genocide Convention, Moscow argues.
Russia’s chief representative, Gennady Kuzmin, argued on Monday that mere “statements” about genocide are not acceptable under international law, including the Genocide Convention.
He concluded that Ukraine’s legal position is “hopelessly flawed” and “contrary to the Court’s long-standing jurisprudence”.
Using long-standing Russian tropes, he also accused the Kiev “regime” of being “strongly involved in the history, principles and practices of Nazism”, comments the Ukrainian envoy seized on. .
“The (Russian) agent had the audacity to stand up in this court and say that Ukraine was planning a ‘final solution.’ We all know what those horrific words mean.
“How can an agent of Russia speak those words and then deny that there is any dispute about the genocide?” Korinevich said.
In addition to the two warring countries, 32 of Ukraine’s allies will also debate in Kiev’s support on Wednesday.
The ICJ was established to settle disputes between countries, but it is not famous for the speed of its work. The court is likely to take several months to decide whether it can hear the case.
Its decisions are binding, although there is no way to enforce them.