UN aviation agency rules Russia responsible for downing of flight MH17

Russia was responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine on Jul. 17, 2014, the United Nations aviation agency ruled on Monday (May 12).

The incident killed all 298 passengers and crew onboard.

According to a press statement, UN's Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) voted that the Russian Federation "failed to uphold its obligations under international air law".

The law requires states to "refrain from resorting to the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight".

The Council agreed that the claims brought by Australia and the Netherlands as a result of the shooting were "well-founded in fact and in law".

What happened

Flight MH17 was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down by a Russian-made missile as it was flying over eastern Ukraine, during a conflict between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian forces, The Guardian reported.

The majority of the victims, 196 of them, were Dutch citizens.

There were also 38 Australian citizens or residents, 10 British citizens, as well as Belgian and Malaysian citizens on the flight.

The Australian and Dutch governments, who brought the cause to the UN in 2022, have welcomed the ICAO's ruling, according to BBC and The Guardian.

Both countries want the ICAO Council to direct Russia to enter into negotiations concerning reparations, the Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp said in a statement.

"The decision is an important step towards establishing the truth and achieving justice and accountability for all victims of Flight MH17, and their families and loved ones," Veldkamp said.

Dutch court ruled three people guilty of murder in absentia

Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, said in a statement that the country welcomed ICAO's decision.

"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 added.

In November 2022, Dutch judges ruled two Russian men and one Ukrainian man guilty of murder in absentia for their involvement in the incident. They were all sentenced to life in prison.

Russia called the ruling "scandalous" and said it would not extradite its citizens.

Top image via Bulent Kilic/AFP