A Dutch court has found three men guilty of murder after they shot down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17
MH17 VERDICT – A Dutch court has found three men guilty of murder after they shot down the passenger jet travelling over eastern Ukraine, in 2014.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 came crashing down in the Donbas region, killing all 298 people on board.
The MH17 verdict means the three men will now face life behind bars.
They identify as former Russian intelligence agents Igor Girkin and Sergey Dubinskiy.
While, it also includes Ukrainian separatist leader Leonid Kharchenko.
Important court decision in The Hague. First sentences for the perpetrators of #MH17 downing. Holding to account masterminds is crucial too, as the feeling of impunity leads to new crimes. We must dispel this illusion. Punishment for all RF's atrocities then & now is inevitable.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 17, 2022
One other man has been acquitted, despite knowing about the plot.
I welcome the first #MH17 verdicts. Profound joint effort by Ukraine, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, and Malaysia. Today’s verdicts send a message to Russia: no amount of lies can help escape justice. All criminals up the Russian chain of command shall be held accountable.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) November 17, 2022
The missile attack remains one of the most notorious war crimes to happen in Ukraine, occurring eight years before the deadly war began.
Many of the victims’ relatives believe the world should have reacted differently, back in 2014.
They insist if world took a tougher stance against Russia back then, it would be in a better place now.
I welcome the Hague District Court’s verdict, finding three men guilty of murder over the downing of MH17.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) November 17, 2022
My thoughts are with those who lost their lives and their loved ones.
They have suffered unfathomable grief and waited a long time for any form of justice.
Watershed moment for the world
It was a little over eight years ago when Flight MH 17 crashed in Ukraine at the time it was a watershed moment for the world.
This was a war crime in the Donbass region before similar atrocities became an almost daily occurrence there.
However, now we are able to close the chapter of MH17 just a little bit more.
The court found that a Russian made missile supplied by Russia and fired by an armed group under Russian control brought down a flight MH17.
A Dutch court has found three men guilty of murder after they shot down Malaysia Airlines flight #MH17 travelling over eastern #Ukraine in 2014. pic.twitter.com/cwZbQ2tkHX
— TICKER NEWS (@tickerNEWSco) November 17, 2022
The men did try to counter that they had intended to shoot down a military aircraft, not a commercial airliner.
However, the judges said firing any kind of missile deliberately showed enough wrongdoing to be convicted.
Speaking after many of the victims families expressed relief at this conclusion.
It’s been more than two years of a trial. But there is a long standing feeling of anger.
