The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council has ruled in favor of Australia and the Netherlands, which accuse Russia of involvement in the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, shot down in the skies over the Donbas in July 2014. This was announced by the Dutch government on May 12, 2025. The ruling, supported by an overwhelming majority of council members, states that Russia violated the Chicago Convention. In the coming weeks, ICAO will determine the form and amount of compensation for damage caused by the disaster, which claimed the lives of 298 people. The decision was a new stage in a long-running dispute and increased pressure on Moscow, which continues to deny responsibility.

The lawsuit against Russia was filed by Canberra and Amsterdam in the spring of 2022, seeking to establish a violation of international norms and seek compensation for damages. The Netherlands and Australia insist that Russia is obliged to enter into negotiations to resolve the dispute and act in good faith, adhering to the established deadlines. As noted in a statement by the Dutch government published on the NOS website, this requirement is aimed at ensuring real results of the dialogue. If Moscow refuses, ICAO may consider additional measures, although their nature has not yet been specified.

The downing of MH17, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, remains one of the most tragic pages in modern aviation history. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT), comprising Australia, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Belgium and Ukraine, concluded in 2018 that the airliner was shot down by a Buk missile.

Moscow categorically denies the accusations. President Vladimir Putin claimed in 2019, as reported by Rossiyskaya Gazeta, that Moscow had its own version of events, but the West “simply appointed a culprit,” ignoring the Russian side’s arguments.