The International Civil Aviation Organization's council has declared Russia responsible for the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 more than a decade ago, a decision that increases the chances of compensation for victims' families.
Flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine in 2014, killing 298 people.
A Dutch-led international investigation in 2016 found that the airliner, flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down on July 17, 2014, from separatist-controlled Ukraine using a Buk air defense system supplied by Russia.
Moscow denies any involvement in the MH17 incident.
In 2022, the governments of the Netherlands and Australia filed a lawsuit against Moscow with the Montreal-based International Aviation Agency and expressed satisfaction with the ruling on Tuesday.
An appeal to the International Court of Justice was not considered, since Russia does not recognize the jurisdiction of the Hague Court, located in the Netherlands.
The council concluded that Russia had violated the Convention on International Civil Aviation, known as the Chicago Convention, which requires countries to “refrain from the use of force against civil aircraft in flight.”
This is the first time that the council, which represents 193 member states, has ruled on a dispute between governments.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said the council would consider the issue of reparations within weeks.
“In this context, the Netherlands and Australia ask the ICAO Council to instruct the Russian Federation to initiate negotiations with the Netherlands and Australia and to facilitate this process,” said Mr. Veldkamp.
“This is particularly important to ensure that the negotiations are conducted in good faith and within the established timeframe, and that they lead to real results,” he added.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called on the council to urgently “identify measures to address the situation.”
“We call on Russia to finally acknowledge its responsibility for this horrific act of violence and pay compensation for its egregious behavior, as required by international law,” Ms Wong said.
The Russian Embassy in Australia did not respond to a request for comment on the situation.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
