Russia twists concept of genocide to justify own aggression - MFA Ukraine

That’s according to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that for several days now the world has been witnessing unprecedented and brutal military aggression by Russia against Ukraine. Seeking justification for its unprovoked and unjust invasion of Ukraine, Russia has cynically distorted the international community's most serious human rights commitments.

The Foreign Ministry recalled that in 1948, after surviving the horrors of World War 2, the international community came together to establish the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Together, the world has identified the crime of genocide and committed itself to preventing and punishing it.

"But Russia has distorted the very concept of genocide and the most serious treaty obligations to justify the invasion of Ukraine and its own gross human rights violations. The top military and political leadership of the Russian Federation has publicly attempted to justify its own aggression against Ukraine as a means of preventing and punishing the genocide that is allegedly taking place in our country," the ministry said.

It is emphasized that this brazen manipulation has no real basis, as the whole world knows. The crime of genocide is defined in the Genocide Convention, and according to this Convention, Russia's claims are baseless and absurd.

"Russia's illegal actions, and especially their justification by allegations of genocide, are contempt for the Genocide Convention and the efforts of the entire international community to prevent and punish the world's most serious crimes," he said.

The ministry calls on Russia to immediately cease its illegal aggression against Ukraine under this unjustified pretext.

"Russia's lies are even more vulgar and ironic because it seems that Russia is planning acts of genocide in Ukraine. Russia is deliberately killing and seriously injuring representatives of the Ukrainian nation. These actions should be considered together with the rhetoric of President Putin, which denies the very existence of the Ukrainian people, which suggests deliberate killings by Russia for the purpose of genocide," the ministry said.

As reported, at about 4:00 am on February 24, the Russian Federation attacked Ukraine, starting a war.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said martial law was being imposed on the entire territory of Ukraine.

On the morning of February 24, the Verkhovna Rada approved Zelensky's decree on the imposition of martial law throughout Ukraine.

im