The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine demands that those responsible for the downing of MH17 be brought to justice

On the 12th anniversary of the downing of flight MH17, Ukraine honored the memory of the 298 victims of the tragedy and emphasized that establishing the truth, holding Russia accountable, and punishing all those responsible is a necessary condition for restoring justice. This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, writes UNN.

Details

The MFA emphasizes that the MH17 tragedy became one of the first pieces of evidence that Russian aggression knows no bounds, and its victim could be anyone. It exposed the true nature of Russian aggression and already then demonstrated Russia's complete disregard for human lives, the norms of international law, and the principles of the UN Charter.

"What happened in the sky over Donetsk region was not an accident or a tragic mistake. For years, Moscow built a multi-level system of lies, trying to hide the traces of its bloody crime. However, the unprecedented unity of the international community destroyed the Kremlin propaganda machine, proving: truth is stronger than lies, impunity, and state terror," the commentary states.

The MFA recalled that Russia's responsibility for the downing of the flight has already been confirmed by decisions of international and national judicial institutions: the District Court of The Hague, the ECHR, and the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Ukraine, for its part, confirms its unwavering support for Australia and the Netherlands in connection with Russia's attempt to challenge the decision of the ICAO Council, which found Russia guilty of the MH17 tragedy.

"No procedural manipulations can change the established facts or free Russia from international legal responsibility for this bloody crime. The MH17 tragedy confirms that justice is impossible without accountability, because impunity for the aggressor inevitably breeds new crimes and new human suffering. On the 12th anniversary of this tragedy, we bow our heads before all the victims of the MH17 flight tragedy and express our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones," the agency notes.

Ukraine commits to continue working consistently together with international partners to ensure the inevitability of accountability for the aggressor state and all persons involved in crimes committed as a result of Russian armed aggression against Ukraine.

Let us recall

The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recognized Russia as responsible for the crash of flight MH17, which occurred in July 2014. This decision indicates Russia's violation of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

On November 17, 2022, the District Court of The Hague issued a verdict in absentia for three defendants in the MH17 case - Igor Girkin, Serhiy Dubinsky, and Leonid Kharchenko, sentencing them to life imprisonment for involvement in the downing of the aircraft. The court also concluded that at the time of the tragedy, Russia effectively controlled the territory of the so-called "DPR."