The International Court of Justice (ICJ) of the United Nations announced on Friday that it will consider a case brought by Ukraine, in which they request for the court to declare that they are not responsible for committing genocide in the eastern regions of their country. This claim was made by Russia as a justification for their invasion.

Shortly after the February 2022 invasion, Ukraine presented its argument to the ICJ, claiming that Moscow had breached the 1948 Genocide Convention by justifying the invasion as a means to prevent an alleged genocide of Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine.

On Friday, the court stated that it is unable to make a direct ruling on the issue. Instead, it will determine whether Ukraine has breached the convention and carried out genocide in eastern Ukraine. This decision is not expected to be made for several years.

Though the court did not fully support their complaint, Anton Korynevych, Ukraine’s representative to the ICJ, stated to reporters on Friday in The Hague that the court’s decision was significant as it will address the matter of Ukraine’s alleged responsibility for a “mythical genocide.”

Korynevych mentioned that the ICJ’s initial decision in March 2022, directing Russia to cease its military actions in Ukraine, remains in effect.

Despite the legally binding nature of the court’s rulings, Russia has chosen to disregard them. However, the court lacks an enforcement mechanism.

According to the Associated Press, Russia’s delegates departed the courtroom without providing any statement.

Earlier this week, Ukraine achieved another minor triumph at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as the judges declared that Russia had breached U.N. agreements regarding the funding of terrorism and discrimination in a separate case involving events from 2014.

The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse contributed information for this report.