Russian Federation files counter-memorandum against Ukraine with the UN court. It lies that it does not supply weapons to "DNR/LNR" militants

Russia has submitted to the International Court of Justice a counter-memorandum against Ukraine in the case of the war in the Donbas and the occupation of the Crimea, initiated by the Ukrainian party. This is reported by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

"On August 9, 2021, the Russian Federation filed a Counter-Memorandum with the International Court of Justice in a case initiated by Ukraine. In its Memorandum submitted on June 12, 2018, Ukraine claims that the Russian Federation systematically violates the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination", - was noted in the Ukrainian MFA.

The Russian party denies financing terrorists in the Donbas and supplying them with weapons. In addition, the Russian Federation wants to challenge Ukraine's arguments that the Russian Federation has been campaigning for the cultural destruction of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians since the occupation of the Crimea.

Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice made a decision in November 2019, by which it rejected all of Russia's preliminary objections to the Court's jurisdiction, decided to consider Ukraine's claims essentially and, accordingly, ordered Russia to provide explanations on the merits of Ukraine's claims.

The Russian Federation became the first state in the entire history of the existence of the International Court of Justice, which is obliged to provide explanations on the merits of the stated claims regarding violations of the two above-mentioned conventions:

- according to the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, Russia must be held accountable for failing to conduct an investigation and not interfering with the supply of money and weapons to illegal armed formations in eastern Ukraine that are involved in terrorist acts, namely: shooting down of the MH-17 aircraft; shelling of civilian population in Volnovakha, Kramatorsk, Mariupol and Avdiivka; organization of a series of explosions during mass peaceful assemblies in Kharkiv and other cities;

- According to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Russia must be responsible for carrying out a campaign of cultural destruction against the communities of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians since the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. In addition, Russia must provide an answer why it did not comply with the temporary measures that were appointed by the court more than four years ago, including the requirement to remove obstacles to the activities of the Mejlis on the territory of the peninsula.

"There is no doubt that all the answers and arguments stated by Russia in its Counter-Memorandum will be considered unfounded by the Court. Ukraine will continue to elaborate and defend its position in the trial at the International Court of Justice. The Court will determine in the future, whether there is a need to submit additional written documents, and will establish procedural periodsfor the next steps", - was noted in the Ukrainian MFA.