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Statement of the MFA of Ukraine on the 11th Anniversary of Russia's Downing of Flight MH17

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

17 July 2025 11:00

11 ago, on 17 July 2014, Russia's military personnel and individuals under their direct control committed one of the most horrific crimes— the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over the temporarily occupied part of Donetsk region of Ukraine.

One deliberate act by Russian perpetrators and their accomplices took the lives of 298 people on board — citizens of many countries — innocent victims of Russian aggression. From the very first moment, Russia attempted to conceal the truth from the world, fabricating false narratives about the cause of the tragedy.

There is no longer any doubt as to who committed this crime and who bears responsibility for the murder of hundreds of people. The international community now has a clear legal response that nullifies all false accusations, manipulations, and disinformation that Russian officials have so diligently disseminated.

In November 2022, The Hague District Court announced the verdicts against three individuals directly involved in the downing of MH17 by a Buk-TELAR surface-to-air missile system, which had been transported into the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine from territory of the Russian Federation.

In May 2025, the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) issued the decision on the merits in the case brought by the Netherlands and Australia, concluding that the Russian Federation had violated Article 3bis of the Convention on International Civil Aviation by using of weapons against MH17 — a civil aircraft in flight.

In July 2025, the European Court of Human Rights, in its judgment on the merits in the case "Ukraine and the Netherlands v. the Russian Federation", ruled that the killing of civilians aboard MH17 cannot be considered as a "lawful act of war" and constitutes a violation of the right to life under Article 2 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Furthermore, the Court found that the prolonged suffering endured by the relatives of the victims of MH17 amounted to inhuman treatment within the meaning of Article 3 of the Convention.

The Court also emphasized Russia's attempts to obstruct the investigation by spreading false or deliberately fabricated information about the tragedy. It found that Russia further violated the Convention by failing to conduct an investigation of the circumstances of the downing, to prosecute those responsible, and to provide proper cooperation with other states within the international investigation.

The MH17 case is a multi-volume record of pain, suffering, Russian lies, and the deliberate concealment of facts. At the same time, it stands as proof that despite the vast resources of the Russian propaganda machine and persistent denial of its involvement, the Russian Federation has not gone unpunished — and has not succeeded in deceiving the world.

We firmly believe that the Russian Federation, its military personnel, and officials must be held accountable for every violation of international law they have committed during the armed aggression against Ukraine. Ukraine, together with its international partners, continues to make every effort to restore justice for all those who have suffered from Russian terror.

We express our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the passengers and crew of flight MH17. Our thoughts will always be with those who have fallen victim to Russian aggression.