The UN aviation agency blamed Russia on Monday, May 12th, for the downing of a Malaysian jetliner over Ukraine in 2014, leading to the deaths of 298 people.
Australia and the Netherlands, the countries with most fatalities in the tragedy, quickly called for Russia to assume responsibility for the downing and pay damages.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), based in Montreal, said claims brought by Australia and the Netherlands over the shooting down of Flight MH17 on July 17th of that year were “well founded in fact and in law.”
On July 17, 2014 the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777—en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur— was hit by a Russian-made BUK surface to air missile over eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, where pro-Russian separatist rebels were battling Ukrainian forces.
Dutch nationals accounted for two-thirds of the dead, along with 38 Australians and about 30 Malaysians, with many victims having dual nationalities.
Pro-Russian rebels in the area claimed the airliner was shot down by a Ukrainian military jet. Russia has consistently denied any involvement in the tragedy.
