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Russia’s complaint to ECHR against Ukraine last resort, but patience over, diplomat says

The Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova underscored that Russia advocated the protection of European law by holding Ukraine responsible for systemic violations of human rights

MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. Russia’s international complaint to the European Court of Human Rights against Ukraine has become a last resort but patience has totally run out, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.

"Moscow has consistently adhered to a position that the involvement of courts is a last resort measure that could be engaged only in exceptional cases. On one hand, this was motivated by our country’s respectful attitude to international instances, and on the other hand, by our desire to find other, peaceful methods of resolving disputes outside of the courtroom. But patience has completely run out," Zakharova said.

The spokeswoman underscored that Russia advocated the protection of European law by holding Ukraine responsible for systemic violations of human rights.

"The complete impunity of the Kiev regime, which literally reveled in it, as well as the inaction of international structures, which turned a blind eye to the numerous atrocities, have simply untied Kiev’s hands," the diplomat added.

Russia submitted an international complaint against Ukraine with the ECHR, based on Article 33 of the Convention of Human Rights. The Prosecutor General’s Office emphasized that the complaint refers to the events that followed the 2014 coup d’etat in Ukraine.

"The appeal is intended to draw the attention of the European Court and the entire global community to the blatant and systematic human rights violations by the Ukrainian authorities, record the numerous instances of criminal acts in the international legal framework, force Ukraine’s authorities to stop committing them, conduct a proper investigation and immediately bring the perpetrators to justice, in addition to restoring peace and harmony in Ukraine," the Prosecutor General’s Office stressed.