Russia rejects ICAO ruling on MH17 crash

Moscow: Russia has rejected the ruling by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council, which placed blame on Russia for the 2014 Malaysia Airlines crash. ICAO recently stated that Russia was responsible for downing flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people aboard.

Russia’s foreign ministry called the ruling illegitimate and contrary to the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. “Russia will not recognize the Council's ruling,” the ministry said, maintaining that it remains committed to UN Security Council Resolution 2166, which seeks to identify the true causes of the crash.

The ministry denied any Russian involvement, stating that it halted its participation in the investigation in June 2024, citing procedural violations and lack of impartiality. Moscow insists it had no role in the incident and accused Ukraine of using civilian aircraft like MH17 as shields in conflict zones.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov also voiced Russia’s rejection of the ICAO investigation’s findings, calling them biased. He added that Russia had presented evidence of its noninvolvement but faced opposition from Australia and the Netherlands.

The Russian foreign ministry reiterated calls for an independent international investigation into the crash, alleging political bias in the ICAO process. The ICAO’s findings rely on a joint investigative team that includes Australia, the Netherlands, and Ukraine, which Russia claims have a vested interest in blaming it.