EU calls on Russia to admit responsibility for MH17 downing

Statement by the High Representative Josep Borrell says:

"The EU reiterates its call on Russia to accept its responsibility in this tragedy and cooperate fully with the ongoing investigations," he said.

The head of the European Union's diplomacy called the decision of the Hague District Court in the case of the downed Malaysian flight MH17 over Donbas in July 2014 "the first step on the path of truth and accountability.”

Borrell reminded that the European Union has repeatedly asked for a swift clarification of the circumstances and for an international investigation to shed full light on this tragedy. According to him, such acts of violence are threatening the safety of civil aviation, and are grave violations of international peace and security.

"The criminal investigation into the involvement of other individuals is still ongoing, just like the proceedings against the Russian state at the European Court for Human Rights and at the International Civil Aviation Organisation," Borrell added.

Boeing-777 of Malaysian Airlines with 298 people on board, which was flying MH17 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) was shot down over the temporarily occupied territory of Donbas on July 7, 2014. All people onboard died: 283 passengers and 15 crew members.

On November 17, 2022, the court in The Hague announced the verdict, according to which the perpetrators of the tragedy were the Russian-controlled DPR, Igor Girkin and his subordinates - Sergey Dubinsky and Leonid Kharchenko. They were sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment.