MH17: Russia ‘liable’ for downing airliner over Ukraine
Australia and the Netherlands say they are holding Russia responsible for downing a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet in 2014. All 298 people on board MH17, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, died when it was shot down over rebel-held territory in Ukraine. On Thursday, Dutchled international investigators concluded that the missile belonged to a Russian brigade.
Russia has denied any involvement in the plane’s destruction. Moscow’s defence ministry said it “rejects the version of the Dutch investigators”. It has previously insisted that none of its weapons were used to bring down MH17.
The team of international investigators, however, found that “all the vehicles in a convoy carrying the missile were part of the Russian armed forces”. It was fired from rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine.
When it hit the Malaysia Airlines plane, it killed 193 Dutch nationals, 43 people from Malaysia, and 27 from Australia. Other victims came from countries including Indonesia, the UK, Belgium, Germany and the Philippines. The Netherlands and Australia say it violated international law. The decision was announced in a statement from the Dutch government and by Australia’s foreign minister Julie Bishop.
“On the basis of the [joint international team’s] conclusions, the Netherlands and Australia are now convinced that Russia is responsible for the deployment of the Buk installation that was used to down MH17,” Dutch foreign minister Stef Blok said.
“The government is now taking the next step by formally holding Russia accountable.”