Russia responsible for downing of MH17, UN body rules

Russia was responsible for the downing of the Malaysia Airlines flight, MH17, over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, the United Nations aviation agency has ruled.

All 298 people on board the passenger plane were killed when it was shot down by a Russian-made missile.

The Kremlin has always denied any responsibility for the air disaster.

On Monday, the UN's Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) voted that the Russian Federation failed to uphold its obligations under international air law, which requires states to "refrain from resorting to the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight".

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was struck down over the Donbas region of Ukraine, during a conflict between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian forces.

The majority of passengers and crew, 196 people, were from the Netherlands.

There were also 38 people from Australia, 10 British citizens, as well as Belgian and Malaysian nationals on board.

The case to the UN was brought in 2022 by the Australian and Dutch governments, who have both welcomed the ICAO's ruling.

"We call upon Russia to finally face up to its responsibility for this horrific act of violence and make reparations for its egregious conduct", said Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong in a statement.

The Dutch foreign minister, Caspar Veldkamp, said it marked an "important step towards establishing the truth and achieving justice and accountability".

It sends a clear messaged to the international community, he added: "states cannot violate international law with impunity" .

In 2022, a Dutch court ruled that a Russian-controlled group had downed the plane and two Russians and a pro-Moscow Ukrainian national were convicted of murder in absentia.

The trio were all sentenced to life in prison however, as they were not extradited, they have not served time in jail.