Status: 02/08/2023 3:08 p.m
298 people died when passenger flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine in 2014. Investigators have now found that Russian President Putin played an active role in the incident.
According to international investigators, Russian President Vladimir Putin played an active role in the shooting down of the MH17 passenger plane over eastern Ukraine in July 2014. This emerges from wiretapped telephone calls, said the investigative team in The Hague.
There are “strong indications” that the decision came from President Putin. However, investigators said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. In addition, Putin enjoys immunity through his office and cannot be prosecuted.
Investigations suspended
The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was shot down by a Russian BUK anti-aircraft missile over a contested area in July 2014. All 298 people on board died. Russia has always denied any involvement in the Boeing downing.
Investigators said there was insufficient evidence against other suspects either. Therefore, the investigation would be temporarily suspended. “We have reached our limits,” said investigators.
Three judgments in the past year
Charges were brought against three Russians and one Ukrainian – all of whom held leading positions with the pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine at the time. Last year, three of them were found guilty in a trial and sentenced to life imprisonment. A man was acquitted.
None of the defendants attended the trial. Most of the victims were Dutch, so the trial also took place in the country. The Russian Foreign Ministry accused the court in November of yielding to pressure from Dutch politicians, prosecutors and the news media.
The investigative team included experts from the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, Belgium and Ukraine. The governments of the Netherlands and Ukraine have taken Russia to the European Court of Human Rights over the downing.