Top UN court allows a record 32 countries to intervene in Ukraine’s genocide case against Russia

By MOLLY QUELL
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The United Nations’ highest court says it has accepted requests from 32 countries to back Ukraine in a genocide complaint against Russia. Ukraine’s government filed the case at the International Court of Justice days after Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022. The Kremlin snubbed hearings held the next month and ignored the court’s order to stop the hostilities. A record 33 countries requested to participate on Ukraine’s side in the case. However, the U.N. court’s judges rejected the U.S. request on a technicality. The complaint alleges Russia violated a 1948 treaty by falsely accusing Ukraine of committing genocide in its eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and using that as a pretext for the invasion.