Kateryna Chernoval23:31, 12.05.25

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga has already reacted to the ICAO Council’s decision in this matter.

The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has found the Russian Federation responsible for the shooting down of the Malaysia Airlines passenger plane, operating flight MH17 , in the skies over Donbas in 2014. This is stated in a statement by the Dutch government . 

The decision states that the Russian Federation has violated the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. Thus, the Council of the International Organization confirmed the rightness of the Netherlands and Australia, which initiated the case against Russia in 2022. 

“I welcome the decision of the ICAO Council, first of all for the relatives of the victims of flight MH17. This decision cannot take away their grief and suffering, but it is an important step towards truth, justice and accountability for all victims of flight MH17 and their relatives. Furthermore, this decision is a clear signal to the international community that states cannot violate international law without consequences,” emphasized the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Kaspar Veldkamp.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga also reacted to the ICAO Council’s decision in this matter. 

“I welcome the important conclusion of the ICAO Council, which confirms Russia’s responsibility for the downing of flight MH17. This is another step towards restoring justice for this crime. And a clear signal: no matter how much money and effort Russia invests in lies to cover up its crimes, the truth prevails, and justice prevails,” he wrote on the social network  X.

The downing of flight MH17

In July 2014, Russia shot down a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane over the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk region. The plane was flying MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. There were 298 people on board – no one survived. More than 190 of the dead were Dutch citizens. 

In 2022, the Hague court ruled that the plane was shot down by a Russian missile fired from occupied territory. The court believes that flight MH17 was shot down by a Buk missile fired from an agricultural field near Pervomaisk.

(c)UNIAN 2025