Ukraine reminds OSCE of Russia's responsibility for MH17 downing

18.07.2019 11:36

Ukrinform

The Ukrainian delegation to the OSCE at a meeting of the Forum for Security Cooperation on July 17 raised the issue of the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in the sky over occupied Donbas, noting Russia's responsibility for this war crime, Ukraine's Deputy Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Ihor Lossovsky has told an Ukrinform correspondent.

"During today's meeting of the Forum for Security Cooperation, the Ukrainian delegation once again raised the issue of the Russian occupation forces shooting down flight MH17 in Donbas five years ago. This is a terrible war crime committed by Russia, for which it must be held accountable," he said.

According to Lossovsky, the Ukrainian delegation in its speech used a presentation in which it informed foreign diplomats in detail about this war crime committed by Russia - from the first statements by militants and reports in the Russian media about the alleged downing of a Ukrainian An-24 aircraft, further absurd scenarios of Russian propaganda about the causes the Boeing plane crash to the current findings of the Joint Investigation Team, confirming Ukraine's statements about Russia's involvement and responsibility made immediately after the tragedy.

"The first reports by Russian militants and individual federal channels of the Russian Federation on July 17, 2014, said that a Ukrainian military transport aircraft An-26 had been shot down. However, it was clear almost immediately after those reports that in a place where, according to statements from Russian militants and the media, the Ukrainian An-26 had to fall, the remains of MH17 passengers were found. Since then, the Kremlin has begun, and has not yet stopped, a powerful disinformation campaign to hide those responsible for the tragedy, denying their responsibility and shouldering it onto Ukraine through various fake reports," he said.

During the meeting of the Forum for Security Cooperation, the Ukrainian delegation discussed all these Russian versions, providing evidence of their absurdity and even contradiction between each other.

"Despite all the attempts of Russian propaganda to obstruct the investigation into the plane crash, the Joint Investigation Team still managed to complete the investigation and establish that the airliner was shot down by a Buk air defense system, which arrived in Ukraine from the Russian Federation, as well as to name four representatives of the Russian occupation forces in Donbas involved in the tragedy. More information will be made public directly during the trial, due to begin on March 9, 2020. We hope that all those involved will be justly punished," the Ukrainian diplomat said.

July 17, 2019, marked the fifth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. The tragedy killed 298 people – all passengers and crew.