This is a question I can answer directly based on well-established facts, without needing a search.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022, is not justified under international law or by the vast majority of legal, diplomatic, and factual assessments. Here's why:
Legal Basis
•Violation of the UN Charter: The invasion violates Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Ukraine is a sovereign nation, and Russia's invasion was not an act of self-defense (the only broadly accepted justification for unilateral force under international law) nor was it authorized by the UN Security Council.
•UN General Assembly condemnation: In March 2022, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution with 141 countries voting to condemn the invasion and demand Russia withdraw, with only a handful of states (including North Korea, Syria, Belarus, and Eritrea) voting against it.
•International Court of Justice: The ICJ ordered Russia to suspend military operations in March 2022, finding no credible evidence for Russia's claim that it was acting to prevent "genocide" in eastern Ukraine.
Russia's Stated Justifications and Their Problems
Russia has offered several justifications, none of which hold up well under scrutiny:
1."Genocide" against Russian speakers in Donbas — No credible international body, including human rights organizations that monitored the region for years, found evidence of genocide prior to the invasion.
2.NATO expansion threat — While NATO's eastward expansion is a legitimate geopolitical concern for Russia, concern over an alliance's growth does not legally justify invading a sovereign neighbor. Ukraine was not a NATO member and had no concrete timeline for membership in 2022.
3."Denazification" — This claim is widely regarded as a pretext; Ukraine's government, led by a democratically elected Jewish president, does not fit any reasonable definition of a Nazi regime.
4.Historical/cultural unity claims — Arguments that Ukraine is historically part of Russia do not constitute a legal basis for invasion under any modern international framework.
Broader Consequences
The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, mass displacement of millions of people, documented war crimes (including attacks on civilian infrastructure), and significant global economic and security disruption.
Summary
From the standpoint of international law, the UN Charter, and the overwhelming consensus of the international community, the invasion is considered an act of aggression and is not justified. Geopolitical grievances—even legitimate ones about NATO expansion—are generally not accepted as grounds for military invasion of a sovereign state under modern international norms.
If you'd like, I can look into specific arguments made by Russia or others defending the invasion, or explore counterarguments in more depth—happy to dig into any angle you're curious about.