logo
Russia responsible for downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, European court rules

Russia responsible for downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, European court rules

Mint10-07-2025
Europe's top human rights court has ruled that Russia is responsible for the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in 2014 and for committing widespread human rights abuses in Ukraine.
In a unanimous decision on Wednesday, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found that Russia had carried out 'indiscriminate military attacks,' 'summary executions of civilians,' and acts of torture, including the use of rape as a weapon of war. The court also said Moscow was guilty of the unjustified displacement and transfer of civilians, among other serious violations.
The ECHR, which is based in Strasbourg, is the judicial arm of the Council of Europe. Russia was expelled from the Council in 2022 following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The following year, Russia's parliament voted to withdraw from the ECHR's jurisdiction.
Ahead of the ruling, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the court's authority, saying: 'We consider them null and void.'
In its ruling, the ECHR said: "Taken as a whole, the vast volume of evidence before the Court presented a picture of interconnected practices of manifestly unlawful conduct by agents of the Russian State (Russian armed forces and other authorities, occupying administrations, and separatist armed groups and entities) on a massive scale across Ukraine."
The ruling concerned four consolidated cases, one of which involved Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, which departed Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur in July 2014 and was shot down over eastern Ukraine amid fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists. All 298 people on board the plane died.
Moscow denies any responsibility for MH17's downing and in 2014 denied any presence in Ukraine.
The ECHR ruled that Russia had failed to conduct an adequate investigation into the incident, to cooperate with requests for information or provide legal remedies for survivors. Its lack of cooperation and continued denial of any involvement has caused additional suffering for the victims' relatives, the court said.
Responding to the ruling, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said: "Nothing can take away this suffering and grief, but I hope the verdict offers a sense of justice and recognition." A majority of those on the airliner were Dutch.
The other three cases covered by Wednesday's ruling were brought by Ukraine, over pro-Russian separatists accused of abducting groups of Ukrainian children and transferring them to Russia, and over alleged patterns of human rights violations during Russia's war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Ukraine's Justice Ministry, in a statement on the Telegram messaging app, hailed the ECHR ruling as "one of the most important in the practice of interstate cases".
The court is expected to rule in due course on possible damages and compensation but it has no way of enforcing its rulings, especially on a country that no longer recognises its jurisdiction, meaning Wednesday's verdict is mainly symbolic.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ohio State president says Ivy League schools in 'survival mode' after $221M Columbia deal
Ohio State president says Ivy League schools in 'survival mode' after $221M Columbia deal

Time of India

time35 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Ohio State president says Ivy League schools in 'survival mode' after $221M Columbia deal

Ohio State University President Ted Carter said that Ivy League schools are currently in "survival mode" following Columbia University's $221 million settlement with the Trump administration over blocked federal funding. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now His remarks were made during an interview on CBS News's Face the Nation, where he discussed the state of higher education institutions in the US. When asked whether he would agree to a similar settlement had his university faced a comparable situation, Carter responded, "I can't speak to those institutions because I'm not leading them," as quoted by The Hill. He added, "I know both President Shipman and some of the other Ivy League presidents are colleagues, and they're having to do, I think, what I would call, be in survival mode, quite frankly," referring to Columbia University's acting President Claire Shipman. Columbia agreed to pay $221 million in settlement Columbia University agreed to pay $221 million as part of a settlement to restore over $400 million in federal funding that had been withheld by the US Department of Education. The funding was originally cut off by the Trump administration, citing alleged inaction on campus antisemitism, as reported by The Hill. The settlement was announced on July 21 and allows Columbia to regain access to federal funds without admitting to any wrongdoing. The settlement does not include any admission of fault by the university. Trump administration cited antisemitism and ideological bias The Trump administration initially blocked the funding on grounds that Columbia had failed to respond adequately to antisemitic incidents on campus. However, US Education Secretary Linda McMahon later indicated that the decision was also influenced by broader ideological concerns. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "This is a monumental victory for conservatives who wanted to do things on these elite campuses for a long time because we had such far left-leaning professors," McMahon said in an interview on Fox Business Network, as reported by The Hill. Ohio State distances itself from Ivy League situation Carter emphasized that Ohio State University has not faced a similar federal funding dispute. "We're not going through any of that here at Ohio State, and nor do I think that we will," he stated during the interview, as quoted by The Hill. Columbia University had been one of the central locations of pro-Palestinian demonstrations during the ongoing conflict in Gaza. These campus protests drew national attention and were part of the broader context surrounding the settlement agreement. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us .

Iran gets India's Russian superweapon, tests S-400 missile defence for first time, Israel and US will now...
Iran gets India's Russian superweapon, tests S-400 missile defence for first time, Israel and US will now...

India.com

time38 minutes ago

  • India.com

Iran gets India's Russian superweapon, tests S-400 missile defence for first time, Israel and US will now...

New Delhi: Nearly a month after the end of the 12-day standoff with Israel, Iran has done something that could reshape the balance of power in the Middle East. Iran has reportedly conducted the first operational test of the Russian-made S-400 air defence system. Iranian defence media outlet has given this information. When did Iran conduct operational test of the Russian air defence system? According to the report, the operational test of the Russian air defence system took place on 26 July 2025 near the city of Isfahan, about 440 km south of Tehran. Isfahan is a strategically important city of Iran, where Israel and the US bombed the Iranian nuclear facility. This is the confirmation of the first actual deployment of the S-400 system on Iranian soil, which regional analysts have described as a clear message to Israel and the USA. Analysts say that now Tehran's airspace will not be easily intruded without paying a big price. Why is this new air defence system a threat to Israel and America? Earlier, during the war in June, Israeli planes claimed to have captured Iran's airspace. Israel destroyed Iran's air defence in air strikes. Even Russia's S-300 air defence system, possessed by Iran, was also targeted by Israeli attacks. But now, after the deployment of one of the world's most advanced long-range air defence systems in the form of S-400, it will not be easy to enter Iranian airspace. Which missile was tested? According to the report of Defense Security Asia, the missile defence system tested appears to be a complete S-400 battery, which includes 91N6E Big Bird acquisition radar, 92N6E Grave Stone engagement radar, centralized command-and-control unit and several 5P85TE2 transporter erector launchers. The missiles reportedly used in the operational exercise include the 48N6E3 missile with a range of up to 250 km, capable of destroying targets at a distance of 380 km. What does Iran say about the test? Although Iran's Defense Ministry has not yet released any official confirmation or footage of the test, OSINT platforms have confirmed abnormal emissions consistent with the S-400 radar profile. Defense Security Asia quoted a defense expert based in the Gulf region as saying, 'The test of the S-400 in Iran indicates a qualitative jump in its ability to prevent enemy access to critical infrastructure and military areas in front of Israeli fifth-generation platforms such as the F-35I.'

Kremlin reaffirms peace efforts after Trump's shortened ceasefire deadline
Kremlin reaffirms peace efforts after Trump's shortened ceasefire deadline

First Post

time39 minutes ago

  • First Post

Kremlin reaffirms peace efforts after Trump's shortened ceasefire deadline

The Kremlin on Tuesday reaffirmed Russia's commitment to peace in Ukraine following US President Donald Trump's decision to shorten the ceasefire deadline. read more An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the city during a Russian drone and missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Reuters Russia is still committed to achieving peace in Ukraine, the Kremlin said Tuesday, in the first reaction to US President Donald Trump cutting his deadline for Moscow to cease fire in the conflict. The US president earlier said he would slash his initial 50-day deadline to 'about 10 or 12 days' and that he was not interested in talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin anymore. 'We have taken note of President Trump's statement yesterday. The SVO (special military operation) continues,' spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, using Russia's term for its offensive. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He also noted a slowdown in attempts to restore ties with the United States after Trump's comments. 'We would like to see more dynamics. We are interested in this. In order to move forward, we need impulses from both sides.' Multiple Russian strikes killed over two dozen people across Ukraine on Tuesday, including a 23-year-old pregnant woman and at least 16 inmates who died in a single strike on a prison. But Peskov said Moscow still remained 'committed to the peace process to resolve the conflict around Ukraine and secure our interests.' The latest round of talks between Moscow and Kyiv held last week yet did not yield a breakthrough, but only provided for the exchange of prisoners.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store