Russia Appeals ICAO Ruling on MH17 Downing at UN Court

Moscow, Sep 19 (AP) - Russia has lodged an appeal with the United Nations' highest court, disputing the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) ruling that held it accountable for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine in 2014.

In its appeal to the International Court of Justice, the UN's principal judicial body, Moscow contested the ICAO's decision on various grounds, including jurisdiction, applicable law, factual findings, and procedural violations, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated late Thursday.

In May, the ICAO Council attributed the responsibility to Russia for the shooting down of MH17 on July 17, 2014, resulting in the tragic loss of 298 lives. This marked a precedent as it was the first time the global aviation organization, representing 193 member states, resolved a dispute between nations.

The ICAO's decision followed the findings of a Dutch-led international investigation in 2016. The inquiry concluded that the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was brought down by a Buk missile system launched from rebel-held Ukrainian territory, and this system was supplied by Russia. Moscow has consistently denied involvement in the MH17 incident.

The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized the Montreal-based aviation body for not conducting a comprehensive and independent international investigation into the crash. Instead, it claimed the investigation relied on "questionable" conclusions from a criminal investigation led under the auspices of the Netherlands and based on facts provided mainly by Ukraine.

"We hope that the International Court of Justice will adopt a completely impartial approach to this high-profile case," the ministry expressed. (AP)

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