UPDATED 8.20PM: The much-awaited criminal trial in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 started at the District Court of The Hague this morning, in the presence of lawyers representing the victims' families and one of the suspects.

According to presiding judge Hendrik Steenhuis, a total of nine counsels have registered with the court to represent the next-of-kin (NOK) of 298 victims on board the flight that crashed in Eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, after being shot down by a Buk ground-to-air anti-aircraft missile.