On the 12th anniversary of the downing of flight MH17, the Ukrainian Congressional Committee of America commemorated the 298 victims and again called for justice and accountability. The organization emphasizes that international legal conclusions confirm the responsibility of the Russian Federation for the destruction of the passenger plane over Eastern Ukraine.
This was reported in a statement by the Ukrainian Congressional Committee of America.
“On this sad anniversary, the Ukrainian Congressional Committee of America, which represents nearly 2 million Americans of Ukrainian origin, joins the international community to honor the memory of the 298 innocent victims and reaffirm its unwavering commitment to holding all those responsible for this crime fully accountable,” the statement said.
As reported, on July 17, 2014, Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, a passenger plane flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down over eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on board died – 283 passengers and 15 crew members.
The UCCA notes that the plane was hit by a Russian-made Buk anti-aircraft missile launched from the territory temporarily occupied by Russia in eastern Ukraine.
It is also noted that in May 2025, the International Civil Aviation Organization concluded that the Russian Federation had violated international aviation law and was responsible for the shooting down of flight MH17. Later, the ICAO Council obliged Russia to begin negotiations with Australia and the Netherlands on full compensation for the victims of the tragedy and their families.
In addition, in July 2025, the European Court of Human Rights established the responsibility of the Russian Federation for the destruction of flight MH17 and the suffering caused to the families of the victims.
“The shooting down of flight MH17 is one of the most obvious examples of the Kremlin’s complete disregard for human life,” said UCCA President Mykhailo Savkiv Jr.
According to him, twelve years after the tragedy, the evidence is undeniable, the legal conclusions are unambiguous, and the international community continues to confirm Russia’s responsibility.
“Justice should not only be the subject of our aspirations – it must prevail,” Savkiv emphasized.
The UCCA recalled that the Joint Investigation Team, which included representatives of the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, established that the missile system that shot down the plane belonged to the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces, based in Kursk.
The investigation also established that the Buk missile was delivered from Russia to the temporarily occupied territory of eastern Ukraine shortly before the attack, and after that was returned across the state border back to Russia.
The UCCA stated that it continues to support the efforts of the governments of Australia and the Netherlands, international investigative bodies and judicial institutions aimed at establishing the truth, bringing those responsible to justice and providing compensation for the victims of this tragedy and their families.
“Their memory will forever remind the world that impunity for acts of international aggression is unacceptable, and justice, even if it comes late, must never be forgotten,” the UCCA summarized.
Photo: static.dw.com
Author: Inna Mikhno