ICAO acknowledges Russia’s responsibility for shooting down flight MH17

The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) concluded that Russia bears responsibility for downing flight MH17 in July 2014, violating the Convention on International Civil Aviation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands reported on 12 May.

The MH-17 disaster refers to the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 on 17 July 2014, when the Boeing 777 passenger plane flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was struck by a Russian-made Buk surface-to-air missile over eastern Ukraine. Some 298 people were killing on board. The missile exploded near the cockpit, causing the aircraft to break apart mid-air over territory controlled by pro-Russian separatists during the war in Donbas.

According to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the final decision about the quilty of MH-17 disaster was made through a vote by ICAO Council members on 12 May, with a “significant majority” supporting the position of the Netherlands and Australia.

“This is an important step toward justice for the victims and their families,” the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in their announcement.

The dispute was initiated by the Netherlands and Australia in March 2022 against Russia regarding the downing of the Malaysian Airlines flight that occurred on 17 July 2014, over eastern Ukraine.

The next phase involved determining compensation from Russia. The ICAO must first require Russia to begin negotiations with the Netherlands and Australia while facilitating this process.

“This is crucial to ensure negotiations are conducted in good faith, follow a specific timeline, and produce tangible results,” the Dutch Foreign Ministry explained.

Moscow had unilaterally withdrawn from the dispute at the International Civil Aviation Organisation in summer 2024.

The ruling follows the 17 November 2022 decision by the Hague District Court, which sentenced Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky, and Leonid Kharchenko to life imprisonment in absentia for their role in shooting down the Malaysian airliner over Donbas.

The Hague court also determined that Russia controlled the self-proclaimed “DNR” at the time flight MH17 was shot down.

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