THE United Nations aviation body has determined that Russia is responsible for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 passengers and crew.
The decision by the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has sparked renewed calls for Russia to provide reparations to the victims’ families.
Flight MH17 was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was struck by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile in July 2014, amid intense conflict between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists. Among the deceased were 196 Dutch nationals and 38 Australians.
Australia and the Netherlands welcomed ICAO’s decision and announced that the council would soon consider possible forms of reparation.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged swift action, stating, “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.”
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp echoed this sentiment, emphasising that the ruling marks a significant step toward justice.
“This decision also sends a clear message to the international community: states cannot violate international law with impunity,” he said.
In a statement issued Monday evening, the ICAO confirmed that Russia had failed to meet its obligations under international air law in relation to the downing of MH17.
This marks the first time the council has issued a ruling on the substance of a dispute between member states.
Although ICAO sets international aviation standards, it does not have enforcement powers. Still, the ruling carries political and symbolic weight.
Australia and the Netherlands launched the case at ICAO in 2022, after Russia withdrew unilaterally from negotiations in 2020 and continued to deny involvement, despite overwhelming evidence.
In 2022, a Dutch court convicted two Russian nationals and a Ukrainian man in absentia for their roles in the incident. Russia rejected the verdict as “scandalous” and refused to extradite the individuals.
Further investigations in 2023 by an international team from the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, Belgium, and Ukraine found strong indications that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally authorized the supply of the missile system used in the attack.
The ICAO’s ruling intensifies international pressure on Moscow to acknowledge its role and provide accountability for one of the deadliest air disasters in recent history. —May 13, 2025
Main image: AAP
