"Russia blamed for MH17 downing carrying 38 Australians in historic verdict"

Europe’s highest human rights court issued severe rulings Wednesday against Russia in four cases filed by Kyiv and the Netherlands, determining Moscow was responsible for downing flight MH17, which killed all passengers, including 38 Australians.

Judges at the European Court of Human Rights concluded Russia engaged in widespread breaches of international law—from the destruction of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014 to killings, torture, sexual violence, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and forced removal of Ukrainian children following its full-scale invasion in 2022.

Reading the decisions in a Strasbourg courtroom, the court's president, Mattias Guyomar, stated Russian forces acted in a "clearly illegal" manner in the July 2014 strike on the aircraft.

"The court agreed evidence indicated the missile was deliberately launched at flight MH17, likely under the mistaken assumption that it was a military plane," the court stated.

"The court did not need to determine the exact individual who fired the missile, as Russia bears responsibility for actions carried out by its armed forces and allied separatist groups."

"The evidence presented by the Dutch government established that a Buk missile system, operating independently, could not differentiate between military and civilian aircraft."

"The court found Russia failed to implement measures necessary for correctly identifying military targets, violating fundamental principles of distinction and precaution."

The Kremlin dismissed the largely symbolic ruling, while Ukraine praised it as "historic and unprecedented," calling it a "clear triumph" for the nation under assault.

The 501-page decision also stated Russia’s refusal to engage in the legal process violated the European Convention on Human Rights, the treaty foundational to the court.

Before the rulings were announced, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated, "We will not comply; we consider it invalid."

For victims' families of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 tragedy, the decision marked a pivotal moment in their 11-year pursuit of justice.

Thomas Schansman, whose 18-year-old son Quinn was on the plane, said the ruling definitively established accountability. Russia "is responsible for killing my son," Schansman said.

The Boeing 777 was struck by a Russian-made Buk missile launched from separatist-held territory in eastern Ukraine on 17 July 2014.

All 298 passengers and crew died. The victims represented 17 countries, including 198 Dutch citizens, 43 Malaysians, 38 Australians, and 10 from the UK.

The judges found Russia’s refusal to admit its role in the downing of MH17 further violated international law. Its failure to conduct a credible investigation "greatly intensified the suffering" of those who lost loved ones.