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Two Countries Accuse Russia of Shooting Down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17

Dutch investigators say they hold enough evidence to formally accuse Russia of providing the manpower and equipment that brought down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014. Australia and The Netherlands have informed The Kremlin they plan to hold the state responsible for the incident that killed 298 people.

Discoveries from a five-nation joint investigation team (JIT) is leading a campaign by two of its members to hold The Kremlin accountable for shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. The Dutch government announced they would move forward with Australia to invoke state responsibility against Russia, claiming their military provided both the Buk missile system used against the aircraft and the soldiers required to use it.

One year after the incident that killed 283 flyers and 15 crew members, the Dutch Safety Board concluded a Russian-made Buk missile brought down the Boeing 777 aircraft over Ukraine. Since then, the JIT worked to determine who was responsible for deploying the surface-to-air missile system: Ukranian military forces, or separatist fighters allegedly armed by Russia.

“On the basis of the JIT’s conclusions, the Netherlands and Australia are now convinced that Russia is responsible for the deployment of the Buk installation that was used to down MH17,” Dutch foreign minister Stef Blok said in a press release. “The government is now taking the next step by formally holding Russia accountable.”

The Dutch National Police Corps outlined their case in a 13-minute video posted to YouTube. Their analysis of photos and videos shared to social media, along with remnants of the missile, lead to the conclusion that the missile belonged to the Russian 53rd Anti Aircraft Missile Brigade. They claim Russian military forces of moved the missile into the Ukraine with the intention of aiding separatist forces in a civil conflict. To move the investigation forward, the JIT is asking for witnesses to come forward.

Under international law, the governments of Australia and The Netherlands are engaging Russia to find “a solution that would do justice to the tremendous suffering and damage caused by the downing of MH17.” If the negotiations fail, the governments could take Russia to an international court or arbitral tribunal. The Dutch minister of foreign affairs warned the parliament in a March 2018 letter that going to court “may take several years” to produce a resolution.

[Photo: Shutterstock]

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