Russia rejects ICAO ruling on 2014 Malaysia Airlines crash case

Moscow, May 14 (IANS) The Kremlin has rejected the ruling of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council, which placed the responsibility for the 2014 Malaysia Airlines crash on Russia.

The UN body, ICAO, recently alleged that Russia was responsible for the July 17, 2014, downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine that killed all 298 people on board.

"Russia will not recognise the Council's ruling. It is illegitimate and violates the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation and its own rule of procedure. Unlike the biased majority on the Council, Russia remains committed to UN Security Council resolution 2166 (2014) and the cause of identifying the real causes of the air crash," the country's foreign ministry said.

The ministry denied any involvement of Russia in the Malaysia Airlines crash.

"Last year, on June 17, 2024, Russia halted its participation in this investigation because it was impossible to ensure the unbiasedness of the probe amid numerous procedural violations by the ICAO Council and Secretariat. Moscow's principles position, however, remains unchanged -- Russia has nothing to do with the MH17 crash and all allegations otherwise by Australia and the Netherlands are in opposition to the facts," it said.

"Prior to this, Russia presented to the Council convincing factual and legal evidence of its noninvolvement in the crash and shared this data with all member countries of the Council. It was Kyiv that refused to close the airspace over the combat operations zone and used civilian passenger aircraft, such as MH17, as a shield for its bombers," the ministry asserted.

Earlier on Tuesday, addressing a press briefing, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia sees the findings of an investigation into the MH17 crash as biased and does not accept them.

"I am not going to comment on this. Our position is well known. Russia was not among the parties that took part in investigating the accident. This is why we don't accept any of the prejudiced conclusions," the Russian presidential spokesman noted.

Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry stressed that Moscow had several times suggested that the Council conduct a thorough and independent international investigation of the MH17 crash in line with UNSC resolution.

"But being guided by political motives and in violation of the established procedure, the Council refused to conduct such an investigation and instead took for granted Australia's and the Netherlands' allegations and the findings of the joint investigative team, which includes Australia, the Netherlands, and Ukraine, or countries that are directly interested in demonising Russia," the ministry noted.

--IANS

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