Ten years ago, Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 exploded in mid-air. The Boeing had been shot down over territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists. All 298 passengers and crew on board were killed by a Russian-made BUK missile fired from an area of Donbass that was outside the control of Ukrainian forces. The Netherlands led the international investigation team, with 196 of the victims being Dutch. But ten years later, only three people have been sentenced to long sentences, without being imprisoned. Today, the criminal investigation is at a standstill.
3 min
Who fired the missile? Who gave the order? Who is responsible? Many questions remain unanswered today. Dutch judges convicted, in their absence, at the end of 2022, Russians Igor Girkin and Sergei Dubinsky, two former Russian intelligence agents, as well as pro-Russian Ukrainian separatist Leonid Kharchenko, considering that they could all be held responsible for transporting the BUK missile from a military base in Russia and its deployment to the launch site, even if they did not pull the trigger themselves.
The life sentences remained ineffective, with Russia refusing to cooperate and denying any responsibility for the plane’s destruction. Three months after the verdict, international investigators said there were “strong indications” that Vladimir Putin had approved the supply of the Buk missile, which shot down the plane in mid-flight.
Read alsoFlight MH17 shot down in Ukraine: extraordinary trial opens in the Netherlands
Families in search of answers and justice
The investigation has been suspended due to the lack of complete evidence. The families now hope to see the Netherlands’ complaint against Russia for the destruction of flight MH17 succeed before the European Court of Human Rights, a body also seized by 500 relatives of the victims. But the decision will not be made for months.
Piet Ploeg, chairman of the Stichting Vliegramp MH17 (association for the families of the victims) who lost his nephew, brother and sister-in-law in the disaster, wants all the light to be shed on the case.
“ There has been a lot of grief, a lot of pain, a lot of suffering among the relatives, who are trying to get on with their lives, but this very difficult situation and Russia’s behavior only complicate things. Many questions remain unanswered regarding the crew of the Buk missile launcher. Who fired the missile? Why was the missile fired? And on whose orders? Who is ultimately responsible? “, he asks.
Piet Ploeg continues: “ These questions remain unanswered. The Russian government must provide these answers, which it has refused to do. We are dealing with a state that is obstructing. It makes things very difficult for the relatives of the victims and prevents a normal grieving process. From the beginning, they have denied any involvement in the MH17 case. They have launched several alternative theories about the plane that was shot down. They blame Ukraine, they blame everyone but themselves. We are looking for truth and justice, and Russia’s behavior is obstructing that. »
Read alsoMH17 crash: Three men sentenced to life in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, 1,300 relatives of victims expected for the tenth anniversary of the tragedy
Janneke Nelissen, Hadiono Budyanto Gunawan, Geert Timmers… The names of the 298 people who died on board flight MH17 will be read out one by one as they are every July 17th for the anniversary of the disaster, explains our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre BenazetIn the presence of King William Alexander and the new Prime Minister Dick Schoof, 1,300 relatives of the victims were invited to this tenth anniversary.
The memorial was erected 900 metres from the runways of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, where flight MH17 took off in 2014 and was shot down three hours later over Ukraine. Seen from the air, the memorial is surrounded by a forest, 298 trees planted in a ribbon shape for the 298 passengers and crew who died.
Relatives are now demanding the creation of an information centre where the remains of the plane shot down by a Russian missile over the separatist region of Donetsk would be displayed. Two proceedings are still pending against Russia, before the European Court of Human Rights and before the International Civil Aviation Organisation.