Photo: Getty Images
The United Nations aviation agency ruled that Russia was responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 while it was flying over Ukraine in 2014, resulting in the deaths of 298 people on board, the New York Post reports.
The plane, which was traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was struck by a Russian-made missile as Russian separatists engaged in war with Ukrainian forces in the Donbas region located below the flight path. On Monday (May 12), the UN's Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) found that the Russian Federation violated the Convention on International Civil Aviation requiring that all countries "refrain from resorting to the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight" after years of Russia denying responsibility for the plane crash.
The case was initially brought to the UN by the Netherlands and Australia's governments in 2022, as their countries accounted for 196 and 38 of the 300 victims, respectfully, according to the BBC. British, Belgian and Malaysian nationals were also reported to be among the victims killed during the crash.
“We call upon Russia to finally face up to its responsibility for this horrific act of violence and make reparations for its egregious conduct,” said Penny Wong, Australia’s foreign minister, in a statement after the vote via the New York Post.
Monday's ruling represents the first time the ICAO has ever decided a dispute between governments and could lead to the families of victims finally receiving compensation.