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Kiev's rejection of anti-terror obligations reason enough for prosecution — Russian MFA

Maria Zakharova emphasized that Russia's demands were part of the mandatory pre-trial procedure, stipulated by the conventions

MOSCOW, April 3. /TASS/. Ukraine's refusal to fulfill its international obligations in the field of counter-terrorism after Russia’s query will be a reason enough to bring Kiev to justice, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has told a news briefing.

"The Kiev regime’s refusal to fulfill its international obligations in the field of combating terrorism will be the basis for bringing it to international responsibility," Zakharova said.

She emphasized that Russia's demands were part of the mandatory pre-trial procedure, stipulated by the conventions. "The final outcome is the filing of an interstate claim at international judicial organizations. Russia is determined to do this step by step to ensure that the current Ukrainian state, which supports terrorism, be brought to justice," Zakharova stressed.

Terrorist attacks in Russia

She recalled a number of monstrous terrorist attacks committed in Russia recently, including the murder of Russian journalist Darya Dugina and war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky, the attempted assassination of Zakhar Prilepin, a co-leader of the A Just Russia - For Truth party, and the truck bomb explosion on the Crimean Bridge.

"The most recent heinous terrorist attack was the shooting of civilians at Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, where about 145 people were killed according to the latest data. On March 28, the Investigative Committee stated that the investigators had reported active work for reconstructing the full picture of the committed crime both at the stages of preparations and planning and the terrorist attack on unarmed citizens itself. The initial results of the investigation fully confirm the planned nature of the terrorists' actions, careful preparations and financial support from the organizers of the crime. As a result of the questioning of the detained terrorists and examination of the technical devices seized from them, and analysis of financial transactions, evidence of their connections with Ukrainian nationalists has been obtained," she said.

Zakharova pointed out that according to the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings (ICBT) and the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (ICSFT), Ukraine must prosecute terrorists and those who finance them and to extradite them.

"Violation of these conventions entails international responsibility for the lawbreaker," she added. Zakharova recalled that Russian had earlier handed Kiev official demands for fulfilling these convention obligations. "The Ukrainian side was given a list of specific persons suspected of involvement in the terrorist attacks. Among them is the head of the SBU Vasily Malyuk, who openly boasted about organizing the explosion on the Crimean bridge, but he is far from being the only one," she noted.