Russia has filed preliminary objections to the genocide case against Moscow brought by Ukraine, the UN International Court of Justice (IC) said on Thursday, Reuters reports.

At the ICJ, the United Nations’ highest court for adjudicating disputes between states, parties can file preliminary objections if they believe the court lacks jurisdiction over the case.

In a letter to the UN court in March, Moscow argued that the ICJ, also known as the World Court, lacked jurisdiction because the Genocide Convention does not regulate the use of force between states.

The file marks a change in Moscow’s attitude to the IC case. Russia, which previously skipped hearings and did not submit documents directly to the court, is now joining.

Ukraine filed the case at the International Court of Justice shortly after Russia’s invasion, which began on February 24, saying Moscow’s justification that it was acting to prevent genocide in eastern Ukraine was unfounded.

During the hearings in March, Ukraine said there was no threat of genocide in eastern Ukraine and that the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, which both countries signed, did not allow an invasion to prevent it.

After those hearings, which Russia missed, the judges of the International Court of Justice ordered Russia to cease its invasion of Ukraine as an emergency measure while it considers the merits of Ukraine’s request.

The next step in the case will be to consider objections to the court’s jurisdiction. A date for such a hearing has not yet been set, but it is expected to take place within several months.