The Netherlands commemorated the 10th anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 on Wednesday, remembering the 298 victims and calling for Russia to be held accountable. A ceremony was held at the MH17 monument in Vijfhuizen, attended by bereaved families and representatives from several countries, including Malaysia, Australia, Britain, Belgium, and Ukraine.
The plane was shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. A Dutch court in 2022 concluded that the plane was downed by a Russian missile system and that Russia had “overall control” of the separatist forces in the region. Two former Russian intelligence agents and a Ukrainian separatist leader were convicted in absentia of murder for their roles in the incident.
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Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof acknowledged the importance of the convictions but emphasized that justice requires further action. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia’s accountability for the tragedy is “inevitable.” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of “murdering the MH17 victims twice,” once with the missile and again with their lies about the incident.
The EU’s outgoing foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on Russia to accept responsibility for the downing of MH17, emphasizing the court’s findings. Russia, however, continues to deny any involvement and maintains that they had no presence in Ukraine in 2014.
The anniversary serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of the conflict in Ukraine and the need for justice and accountability.