'Suspend military operations in Ukraine immediately': ICJ orders Russia

By a vote of 13 to two, with Vice-President Kirill Gevorgian of Russia and Judge Xue Hanqin of China dissenting, the ICJ ruled that Russia "shall immediately suspend the military operations that it commenced on February 24", the UN said in a statement.

The Hague: Russia must immediately suspend military operations in Ukraine, the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled, marking the first verdict handed down by the world court since Moscow began its invasion of Kyiv on February 24.

By a vote of 13 to two, with Vice-President Kirill Gevorgian of Russia and Judge Xue Hanqin of China dissenting, the ICJ ruled that Russia "shall immediately suspend the military operations that it commenced on February 24", the UN said in a statement.

Of the 13 votes in favour, one was cast by Indian ICJ Judge Dalveer Bhandari. Wednesday`s ruling came in response to a suit filed by Ukraine on February 27, accusing Russia of manipulating the concept of genocide to justify its military aggression.

In a tweet shortly after the ruling, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that the majority decision "fully reinforces my repeated appeals for peace". The Court began by recalling that on February 26, Ukraine filed an application against Russia concerning "a dispute" on the interpretation, application and fulfilment of the Genocide Convention.

Ukraine contended that having falsely claimed acts of genocide against the people of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, Russia declared and implemented a "special military operation" to prevent and punish the purported acts.