Ukraine files complaint against Russia with UN high court

Kiev has filed a legal case against Moscow with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), demanding a stop to Russia's alleged interference in eastern Ukraine.

The highest court of the United Nations announced the case on Tuesday, saying the Ukrainian government had accused Russia of "intervening militarily in Ukraine."

Kiev also claimed in the document that Moscow had given financial support to "acts of terrorism." Russia, according to the document, has violated "the human rights of millions of Ukraine's citizens."

More than 9,600 people have been killed in nearly three years of conflict in eastern Ukraine between the military and pro-Russia forces. The violence began after a series of political developments in Kiev in 2014, which led to the rise of a pro-West, anti-Russia government.

Ukraine accuses Moscow of providing arms and funds to the pro-Russians. The Kremlin denies any involvement, saying, however, that it will continue to support the ethnic Russian population living in the territory against the suppression of the government in Kiev.

In its case against Russia, Kiev also accused Moscow of illegally annexing Crimea, a peninsula in the south of Ukraine that joined the Russian Federation in March 2014 after a referendum. Russia's move in Crimea, Kiev says, "brazenly defied the UN Charter."

Ukraine claims Russia used military force to seize Crimea.

The case also called for interim orders by the court to stop Russia’s persecution of ethnic Tartars in Crimea. Moscow rejects the allegation.

The ICJ said Ukraine has also demanded damages over Russia’s alleged role in the 2014 shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, saying Moscow is legally responsible for the incident over eastern Ukraine.

Russia has rejected the results of an international probe into the crash, which has indicated that Moscow had provided the missile launcher only to truck it back after the incident claimed the lives of 298 people aboard the plane.

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