On July 17, 2014, tragedy hit when a Malaysia Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down by a missile over eastern Ukraine, killing everyone on board.
In separate statements, the Dutch and Australian governments shared that the U.N.’s aviation council had ruled on May 12 (Monday) that Russia was responsible for the downing of MH17, which killed 298 people, including 196 Dutch citizens and 38 Australians (citizens or residents).
“A major step toward getting justice for MH17 victims”
According to both governments, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) council will be looking into what form of reparation should be made in the coming weeks.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 took off from Amsterdam heading to Kuala Lumpur in 2014, but was shot down over eastern Ukraine during a fight between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces.
Back in November 2022, Dutch judges found two Russian men and a Ukrainian man guilty of murder in absentia for their roles in the attack. Moscow then slammed the ruling as “scandalous” and said it won’t extradite its citizens.
“This decision is a big step toward uncovering the truth and getting justice for the victims of MH17 and their families. It also sends a clear message to the world where countries can’t just break international law and get away with it,” said Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp.
Caspar Veldkamp
“We’re calling on Russia to finally take responsibility”
The Netherlands and Australia are pushing the ICAO Council to get Russia to the table for talks on reparations.
Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her government welcomed the decision and called on ICAO to act quickly in deciding what kind of remedies should be made.
“We’re calling on Russia to finally take responsibility for this terrible act and make reparations for what it did, as required by international law,” she said.
Penny Wong
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Also read: Pilot Accused of Shooting Down MH17 Reportedly Commits Suicide
