Covington Files Case in International Court of Justice on Behalf of Ukraine Against the Russian Federation and Seeks Emergency Hearing Concerning Russia's Illegal Invasion

Covington Files Case in International Court of Justice on Behalf of Ukraine Against the Russian Federation and Seeks Emergency Hearing Concerning Russia's Illegal Invasion

March 2, 2022

WASHINGTON—Covington, acting pro bono on behalf of the Government of Ukraine, submitted an Application instituting proceedings against the Russian Federation to the International Court of Justice (“ICJ”) in The Hague, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.  Covington also submitted on behalf of Ukraine a request for the Court to issue Provisional Measures of protection, including an order for Russia to immediately stop its illegal invasion. A hearing is scheduled for March 7.

The case is within the ICJ’s jurisdiction pursuant to the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.  Ukraine’s Application and Request for Provisional Measures explain that President Putin of Russia expressly justified his invasion of Ukraine on a false and offensive claim of genocide, and that Russian aggression taken on the basis of these false claims is unlawful.

The Covington team is led by partners Marney Cheek, Jonathan Gimblett, and David Zionts, and special counsel Clovis Trevino.  Covington represents Ukraine in partnership with Professor Harold Hongju Koh of Yale Law School and Professor Jean-Marc Thouvenin of Paris-Nanterre University.