Flight MH17: Russia Must Account For Role In Crash, G7 Ministers Say

On the eve of the summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the G7 demanded Kremlin take responsibility for the downing of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 plane, which was shot down over Ukraine in 2014, killing everyone onboard the aircraft.

“We are united in our support of Australia and the Netherlands as they call on Russia to account for its role in this incident and to cooperate fully with the process to establish the truth and achieve justice for the victims of MH17 and their next of kin,” the joint statement by G7 ministers said, ahead of the anniversary of the air disaster on July 17, the Guardian reported.

The joint call was released on Sunday, the same day Putin was scheduled to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron. France, along with U.S., Britain, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada, form the G7.

Back in May, an international team of investigators confirmed in a press conference in Utrecht, Netherlands, that the Buk missile — used to blow the plane out of the sky, killing all 298 passengers and crew members onboard — originated from the Russian military’s 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade based in the Russian city of Kursk.

Wilbert Paulissen of the Joint Investigations Team said according to the new evidence it was clear that the missile, which had a number showing it was built in 1986 in a factory in Moscow, was transported to Ukraine along with the equipment used to shoot the target. Both the missile and the equipment were snuck back into Russia immediately after the plane was shot down over the conflict zone in Ukraine's Donetsk region.

Russia has maintained they had nothing to do with the downing of the flight that was heading from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This was despite the fact that Moscow has been accused in the past of providing military, economic, and political aid to separatists fighting against Kyiv, Ukraine.

Following the press conference, a host of countries formally acknowledged the fact that Russia was to be held responsible for the downing of MH17.

Australia’s foreign minister, Julie Bishop, said: “Australia and the Netherlands have now informed the Russian Federation that we hold it responsible under international law for its role in the bringing down of MH17.”

“The Kremlin believes it can act with impunity. The Russian government must now answer for its actions in relation to the downing of MH17,” Britain’s former foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, said, the Guardian reported. “The U.K. fully supports Australia and the Netherlands in their request to the Russian Federation to accept state responsibility and to cooperate with them in their efforts to deliver justice for the victims of this tragedy.”

Back in June, the European Council released a similar statement of support. “The European Council reiterates its full support for UNSC Resolution 2166 concerning the downing of flight MH17. It calls on the Russian Federation to accept its responsibility and to fully cooperate with all efforts to establish truth, justice and accountability," the EU said.