UN aviation body rules Russia downed MH17 in 2014

Summary

• The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rules that Russia was responsible for downing MH17 in 2014.

• The agency, while having no regulatory power, will now assess what form of reparation is in order.

• In 2019, then-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad dismissed Russian involvement in the attack.

The United Nations aviation council ruled that Russia was responsible for downing the Malaysia airliner, MH17, over Ukraine in July 2014, which killed all of its crew and passengers.

According to Reuters today, the Dutch and Australian governments, in separate statements, mentioned that the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) would consider what form of reparation was in order in the coming weeks.

"The decision is an important step towards establishing the truth and achieving justice and accountability for all victims of Flight MH17, and their families and loved ones.

"This decision also sends a clear message to the international community: states cannot violate international law with impunity,” Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said.

On that note, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her government welcomed the decision and urged ICAO to determine remedies swiftly.

"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," Wong said in a statement.

ICAO lacks regulatory power but holds moral suasion and sets global aviation standards overwhelmingly adopted by its 193-member states.

Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014, and was shot down over eastern Ukraine as fighting raged between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces.

All 283 passengers and 15 crew members on board were killed.

Other countries have accused Moscow of supporting separatist forces in Ukraine and supplying missiles to them.

The Dutch-led Joint Investigative Team (JIT) claimed the plane was shot down using a BUK missile originating from the Russian military. Russia has denied the allegations.

Dr M defended Russia

In November 2022, Dutch judges convicted two Russian men and a Ukrainian man in absentia of murder for their role in downing the plane.

Moscow had referred to the ruling as "scandalous" and said it would not extradite its citizens.

On Sept 5, 2019, then-Malaysian prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad defended Russia, saying there was insufficient evidence linking Russia to the attack on MH17.

He also said JIT’s findings did not seem “quite right”.

"Yes, that (Russia's guilt) is our doubt. But I do not have any relatives who were killed there. I do not have any rights to any insurance claims. I am seeing this as an observer from the outside, and some of the findings made (by JIT) did not sound to me and many people in Malaysia as being quite right.

“I am not doubting their (JIT’s) truthfulness. But there are certain things that they claim - it is difficult for us to accept... Identifying the missile - yes. The area where it happened – that can be verified.

"But identifying the actual firing, by whom (it was performed), that would be very difficult in the usual circumstances," Mahathir told Russian news agency Sputnik.

It should be noted that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will be on an official visit to Russia beginning today until Friday at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to the prime minister’s senior press secretary, Tunku Nashrul Abaidah, the visit includes stops in Moscow from Tuesday to Thursday, and Kazan, Tatarstan, from Thursday to Friday.

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