Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry comments on MH17 trial: Circle around Russia shrinking

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry comments on MH17 trial: Circle around Russia shrinking

Ukrinform
Ukraine expects Russia's senior military and political leadership to be held accountable on charges of involvement in downing MH17 flight in Donbas in 2014.

"We follow the trial in the Netherlands with great interest and attention. It was not easy for us to reach that stage. In particular, I was an active participant in these negotiations for some time. We are well aware that this trial can last for several years. We are confident that this list will not be limited and that we can expect that senior military and political leadership of the Russian Federation will be brought to justice in the future," Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Yevheniy Yenin said in an interview with the Radio Liberty.

The official thinks that a judgement in MH17 trial will be delivered in a few years at least.

"Such trials are not quick. In addition, the speed should not harm the quality. We need quality, since we fully understand all the risks of further appealing the corresponding judgments in the European Court of Human Rights," Yenin said, adding that Ukraine's goal is to bring the Russian Federation and its top leadership to justice for violations of international law, the annexation of Crimea, military intervention in Donbas, including the downing of MH17.

According to the Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine, the factor of inevitability is important and prioritized.

"We see the circle around Russia shrinking gradually," Yenin noted.

As reported, the hearings within MH17 trial took place on March 9, 10, and 23, 2020. The next hearing will be held on June 8.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down over conflict-hit Donbas in July 2014. There were 283 passengers and 15 crew members on board. All of them died. The JIT reported that the plane had been shot down from a Buk missile system that belongs to the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces stationed in Kursk.

In May 2018, the Netherlands and Australia formally accused Russia of being responsible for the downing of the Malaysia Airlines passenger jet.

On June 19, 2019, the international Joint Investigation Team named four suspects believed to be involved in the transportation and combat use of the Buk missile system, from which MH17 flight had been downed. Three of them are Russians: Igor Girkin (Strelkov), former colonel in Russia's FSB intelligence service and former so-called defense minister of the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic”; Sergey Dubinskiy, general (at the time of downing – colonel) of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and head of the so-called “Main Intelligence Directorate of the Donetsk People’s Republic”; Oleg Pulatov, lieutenant colonel of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. The fourth suspect is Leonid Kharchenko, a Ukrainian civilian, who fought on the side of the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic.”

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