Russia denies Kiev's 'terrorism' claims at UN court

Moscow: Russia hit back Tuesday at claims of "sponsoring terrorism" in war-torn eastern Ukraine, dismissing Kiev`s accusations it is breaking treaties by supporting pro-Moscow rebels as "neither factual nor legal".

"The Russian Federation complies fully with its obligations under (the) treaties that are now relied upon by Ukraine," in a case before the UN`s top International Court of Justice, Moscow`s representative said.

"We see neither a legal nor factual basis" for the measures asked for by Ukraine, Russian foreign ministry legal director Roman Kolodkin told the court in The Hague.

Ukraine on Monday urged the ICJ to order emergency measures to bring stability to its war-torn east.

Nearly three years of conflict have claimed about 10,000 lives in eastern Ukraine -- and led to Russia`s seizure of Ukraine`s southern peninsula of Crimea in 2014 -- pushing ties between Moscow and the West to their lowest point since the Cold War.

Kiev asked the court -- which rules in disputes between countries -- to order Moscow to stop funnelling money, arms and people into eastern Ukraine.

It also accuses Moscow of discriminating against non-Russian groups in the Crimea.

It wants the Kremlin to pay compensation to all civilians caught up in the conflict, including the victims of Malaysia Airways flight MH17, shot down in 2014 over eastern Ukraine with the loss of all 298 lives on board.

AP