Ukraine approaches ICJ against Russian military action

KYIV: Ukraine on Sunday approached the International Court of Justice against Russian invasion and requested to court to hold Moscow accountable for the attack.

In a tweet, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine had submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ. Russia must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression. “We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week,” he added.

On the 4th day of Russia’s military operation on Ukraine, the clash between the Russian and Ukrainian soldiers are on as Russian troops invade Kharkiv, the second-largest city of Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has turned down Russia’s offer for talks in Belarus accusing Belarus of complicity in Russia’s operation against Ukraine. Zeelensky said he is also ready to talks but not in Belarus. Alternative places for talks could be Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku, he said.

On the other hand, President Vladimir Putin on Sunday thanked Russia’s Special Forces, singling out those who are ‘heroically fulfilling their military duty in Ukraine, in a televised address.

As Russia’s military exercise on Ukraine is going on, huge explosions lit up the sky early Sunday near the capital, Kyiv, where terrified residents hunkered down in homes, underground garages, and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.

Russia attacked Ukrainian oil and gas facilities, sparking huge explosions, and some Russian forces entered the second city Kharkiv. A blast was heard after an air raid siren in the capital Kyiv, where President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukrainian forces were resisting a Russian advance.