Asger Risom
Landmark decision holds Moscow accountable for 2014 tragedy
The U.N. Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has declared Russia responsible for the destruction of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which killed 298 people over Ukraine in 2014.
The ruling, issued Monday from ICAO’s headquarters in Montreal, came after formal complaints by the Netherlands and Australia. The board determined that Russia “failed to meet its obligations under international air law” related to the incident, according to Digi24.
The first official ruling between member states
This marks the first time ICAO has issued a decision in a dispute between member nations. On July 17, 2014, MH17, a Boeing 777 traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was struck by a Russian-made BUK surface-to-air missile over eastern Ukraine, an area controlled at the time by pro-Russian separatists. The attack claimed the lives of all 298 passengers and crew, including 196 Dutch and 38 Australians.
In 2022, a Dutch court sentenced three men, including two Russians, to life in prison for their involvement. Moscow has refused to extradite the convicted suspects.
Strong calls for accountability
Russia has consistently denied any involvement. The Australian government called the ICAO ruling “a historic moment in the search for truth, justice, and accountability” and urged Moscow to comply with international law.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said the ruling would not erase the grief of the victims’ families, but he welcomed it as “an important step toward justice.”
International investigators had previously suspended their probe due to insufficient evidence to prosecute additional suspects. However, investigators stated there were “strong indications” that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally approved the transfer of the missile system to separatists, which was later used to shoot down the plane.
