MOSCOW, May 12. /TASS/. Russia views actions by certain Western countries that are seeking to join the procedures initiated by the UN’s International Court of Justice on behalf of Ukraine as an overt attempt at blackmail and exerting undue pressure, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

In a video message to attendees of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum, he said, "In line with the rules-based order, attacks on bodies that play a role in the peaceful settlement of disputes have intensified as well. Colossal pressure is being exerted on the International Court of Justice, the principle judicial organ of the United Nations, whose role in interpreting international law cannot be overestimated." "It is with this court that the neo-Nazi Kiev regime and its US patrons have lodged a lawsuit against the Russian Federation based on perverse logic regarding the convention on the prevention of genocide," he added.

According to the top Russian diplomat, the court yielded to the West’s pressure to impose so-called provisional measures. "Meanwhile, more than 30 countries, mostly EU members and NATO allies, have been making attempts to join the proceedings on behalf of Ukraine. We view such moves as a blatant abuse of court procedures and an overt attempt at exercising undue pressure and engaging in blackmail," Lavrov emphasized.

On February 26, 2022, Ukraine filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice to initiate proceedings against Russia regarding the interpretation, use and implementation of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. In its lawsuit, Kiev rejects Russia’s claims that genocide has taken place in Donbass, which, among other factors, compelled Moscow to recognize the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics and launch its special military operation. In light of this, Ukraine requested that the court find that Russia has no lawful basis to take action in Ukraine and against it, and institute provisional measures pending the court’s formal hearing of the case to prevent the conflict from escalating further.