Russia refused to send representatives to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) today, as Ukraine asked the court to order Russia to immediately stop its invasion and prevent ‘crimes against humanity and war crimes’.

Ukraine says Russia’s ‘full-scale, brutal invasion’ – described by Vladimir Putin as a ‘special military operation’ to prevent genocide in eastern Ukraine – is based on ‘an absurd lie’, which turns the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide ‘on its head’.

‘Russia’s lie is all the more offensive, and ironic, because it appears that it is Russia planning acts of genocide in Ukraine,’ Ukraine’s lawyers told the court.

The ICJ is being asked to impose ‘provisional measures’, including ordering Russia to immediately suspend its military operations and declare that no acts of genocide, as alleged by Russia, have been committed in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine.

The court’s president Judge Joan E Donoghue said at the start of the hearing that Russia’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Alexander Shulgin, has ‘indicated that his government did not intend to participate in the oral proceedings’. ‘The court regrets the non-appearance,’ she said.

Anton Korynevich, Ukraine’s representative, said: ‘This is of course not the first time that Ukraine has experienced first-hand Russia’s disrespect for international law. Now the world understands the depth of its disrespect.’

He added: ‘The fact that Russian seats are empty speaks loudly. They are not here in this court of law. They are on a battlefield waging aggressive war against my country.

‘This is how Russia solves disputes, but Ukraine had another position and respects international law and this court of law. But, even still, Russia knows international law matters. Why else would Russia try to justify its aggression?’

Korynevich said Putin’s allegation of genocide is ‘a horrible lie’, telling the court: ‘Putin lies and Ukrainians, our citizens, die. It is not Ukraine who commits genocide – it is Russia and its political leadership and military personnel who commit crimes against humanity and war crimes.’

The urgent hearing was due to hear from Russia’s representatives on Tuesday morning, but concluded today with the court saying it will ‘render its order as soon as possible’ – although it appears unlikely that Russia would abide by any orders made by the ICJ.