International Court of Justice rejects most of Ukraine’s terror financing and discrimination case against Russia
PBS NewsHourFeb 03
ICJ: Much of Ukraine's 'Terrorism' Case Against Russia Dismissed
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The Facts
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday dismissed major components of a case filed by Ukraine accusing Russia of financing terrorism and racially discriminating against ethnic minorities in Crimea.
In its lawsuit filed in 2017, Kyiv alleged that Moscow had violated the UN's anti-terrorism treaty by funding pro-Russian separatists fighting its troops in eastern Ukraine in 2014.
The Spin
Pro-Ukraine narrative
Terrorism funding includes supplying weapons and training — not just monetary and financial support — to radicals. Following Russia's sending of arms and money to pro-Russian forces in Ukraine, knowing that this would be used to kill and intimidate innocent civilians, the ICJ missed a historic opportunity to label Russia a state sponsor of terror.
Pro-Russia narrative
With Thursday's ruling, the ICJ has acknowledged that there is no racial discrimination in Crimea or that the Russians had any role in equipping and funding pro-Russian forces, including rebels who reportedly shot down MH17. It saw past Ukraine's distortion of facts and overwhelmingly rejected its baseless allegations.
