The United Nations aviation agency has officially determined that Russia was responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014, a tragedy that claimed the lives of all 298 people on board. The flight, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was struck by a Russian-made missile while flying over the conflict zone in the Donbas region, where Russian separatists were engaged in battle with Ukrainian forces.
The UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council ruled on Monday that Russia violated the Chicago Convention, which mandates that countries refrain from using weapons against civilian aircraft. The decision follows a case brought to the UN in 2022 by the Dutch and Australian governments, which represented the majority of the victims.
Russia has long denied involvement in the incident. However, the ruling paves the way for potential compensation to be provided to the families of the victims. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp stated that the Netherlands and Australia will be requesting that Russia enter into negotiations with them, facilitated by the ICAO Council, to address the issue.
This ruling marks the first time in ICAO history that a government dispute has been resolved by the council. In 2022, a Dutch court convicted two former Russian intelligence officers and a pro-Russian Ukrainian leader for their roles in supplying the missile system responsible for downing the plane.
Source: Swifteradio.com
