Title: UN Recognizes Russia as Sponsor of Terrorism, but not for Everything: Budanov Comments on “Shameful” Decision
On January 31, 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case “Ukraine v. Russia” acknowledged that Russia violated the Convention on the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism by supplying weapons to separatists in Eastern Ukraine. However, the court dismissed a portion of Ukraine’s claim accusing Moscow of financing terrorism through the downing of Boeing MH17 in 2014. The court ruled that the Buk missile system, which brought down the aircraft, could not be considered a “financial asset” and, therefore, could not be regarded as an instrument of terrorism.
“This is a disgrace to the international judicial system; this court decision is a mistake and a catastrophe. The denial of obvious facts will have very important consequences, especially for many civilized countries,” commented Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, in an interview with Liberation.
Budanov emphasized that according to the interpretation of the UN Court, if an aggressor country supplies missile systems to terrorists, leading to the downing of a civilian aircraft, it cannot be considered an act of terrorism.
“This opens the way for the unpunished destruction of civilian aircraft by aggressor countries,” Budanov highlighted.