Amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin-led government on Monday approved a list of countries and territories that commit "unfriendly" actions against Russia, its companies, and its citizens, reported the country's TASS news agency.
The list includes countries and territories that has imposed or joined the sanctions against Russia after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The list includes the United States and Canada, the EU states, the UK (including Jersey, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Gibraltar), Ukraine, Montenegro, Switzerland, Albania, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, North Macedonia, and also Japan, South Korea, Australia, Micronesia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Taiwan (considered a territory of China, but ruled by its own administration since 1949).
Russia snubs UN court hearings in case brought by Ukraine
A representative for Kyiv urged the United Nations' top court today to order Russia to halt its devastating invasion of Ukraine, at a hearing snubbed by Russia amid its ongoing assault on its neighbour.
Ukrainian representative Anton Korynevych told judges at the International Court of Justice: "Russia must be stopped and the court has a role to play in stopping it." Ukraine has asked the court to order Russia to "immediately suspend the military operations" launched Feb. 24 "that have as their stated purpose and objective the prevention and punishment of a claimed genocide" in the separatist eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.
Korynevych dismissed that genocide claim by Moscow as a "horrible lie." He said: "The fact that Russian seats are empty speaks loudly. They are not here in this court of law. They are on a battlefield waging aggressive war against my country." A decision is expected on the request within days.
If the court were to order a halt to hostilities, "I think the chance of that happening is zero," said Terry Gill, a professor of military law at the University of Amsterdam. He noted that if a nation does not abide by the court's order, judges could seek action from the United Nations Security Council, where Russia holds a veto.
Russia's seats at the Great Hall of Justice in the court's Peace Palace headquarters were empty for the hearing.
The court's president, American judge Joan E. Donoghue, said Russia's ambassador to the Netherlands informed judges that "his government did not intend to participate in the oral proceedings." The request for so-called provisional measures is linked to a case Ukraine has filed based on the Genocide Convention. Both countries have ratified the 1948 treaty, which has a clause allowing nations to take disputes based on its provisions to the Hague-based court.
