ECHR found Russia guilty of the MH17 passenger plane disaster in 2014

ECHR found Russia guilty of human rights violations during the war and the downing of flight MH17

According to glavcom.ua: The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Russia is guilty of numerous human rights violations during the war before and after February 24, 2022, as well as of downing flight MH17. This information comes from the Associated Press. This is the first international court ruling that holds Moscow accountable for the 2014 tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of 298 people.

The families of the MH17 disaster victims view this decision as an important milestone in their quest for justice over the past 11 years. The court in Strasbourg issued a ruling on four cases that examined human rights violations during the war and the downing of flight MH17, including the case of Ukraine and the Netherlands against Russia.

Ukraine v. Russia (No. 8019/16) - violations during the armed conflict in Donbas, including the downing of MH17, torture, forced labor, and more;

Ukraine v. Russia (No. 43800/14) - abduction and unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation in 2014;

The Netherlands v. Russia (No. 28525/20) - circumstances and consequences of the downing of flight MH17;

Ukraine v. Russia (No. 11055/22) - gross human rights violations during the full-scale invasion since February 24, 2022.

The Boeing 777 was shot down on July 17, 2014, during the Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine. An international investigation showed that the aircraft was downed by a Russian-made 'Buk' missile system belonging to the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade from Kursk. The downing of the plane became the biggest tragedy in Ukrainian history and one of the deadliest for passenger planes in the 21st century.

On June 23, 2022, the UN General Assembly concluded that 'the most convincing scenario today is that MH17 was shot down by a Russian 'Buk'.

The ECHR ruling acknowledging Russia's guilt in human rights violations and the downing of flight MH17 is an important step towards restoring justice for the tragic events that occurred in 2014. The court's decision raises hopes that those responsible will be held accountable for the crimes committed, and that the families of the victims will receive the necessary compensation and a sense of justice.