The United Nations’ aviation agency has ruled that Russia is responsible for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, which killed all 298 people on board, including 196 Dutch citizens and 38 Australians.
In a landmark decision on Monday, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) council upheld claims by Australia and the Netherlands, concluding that Russia shot down the passenger aircraft over eastern Ukraine using a surface-to-air missile. The council found the allegations "well founded in fact and in law," and said Russia had "failed to uphold its obligations under international air law."
The incident, which took place on July 17, 2014, constituted a breach of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, which prohibits the use of weapons against civilian aircraft in flight.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp welcomed the ruling, calling it “an important step towards establishing the truth and achieving justice and accountability for all victims of Flight MH17.” He added that it sends “a clear message to the international community: states cannot violate international law with impunity.”
The ICAO council is expected to consider possible reparations in the coming weeks.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong also applauded the decision, urging the ICAO to act quickly on remedies. “We call upon Russia to finally face up to its responsibility for this horrific act of violence and make reparations for its egregious conduct, as required under international law,” she said in a statement.
In 2022, a Dutch court convicted two Russian nationals and one Ukrainian in absentia, sentencing them to life in prison for their roles in the attack.
The MH17 tragedy, along with the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 earlier the same year, had a severe financial impact on the airline. The crises contributed to a sharp decline in share value and ultimately led to the company being delisted from Malaysia’s stock exchange.
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