Russia-controlled group brought down MH17: Dutch court holds three guilty

The attack on MH17 in 2014 over Eastern Ukraine was one of Ukraine's most horrific war crimes. In the Dutch court proceedings, it was discovered that the missile used to shoot down the airliner was made and fired by a Russian-controlled group. Besides, the proceedings also highlighted that the missile was meant for a military and not a civil flight.

The convicts of the MH17 shootdown

• Donetsk People's Republic's military leader, Igor Girkin, was convicted of seeking Russian help and deploying the missile.

• Sergei Dubinsky had taken care of transporting the missile launcher.


• Leonid Kharchenko assisted Dubinsky.

• Oleg Pulatov, the only accused to have legal representation at the trial, was acquitted, although he knew about the missile.

The victims & reactions of the victims' kins

• 298 people from 17 different countries, including 15 crew and 80 children, were flying in the MH17 that was shot down. All 298 people lost their lives in this tragedy.

• The victims' kins believe that the current situation in Ukraine could have been avoided had a tougher stance to the MH17 shootdown.

• Silene Fredriksz, who lost her son and his girlfriend in the attack, says it was "heartbreaking" for them and wishes for immediate actions to be taken against Putin.

FAQs:

1. Will the convicts be sentenced to a lifetime in jail?
   It is less likely that the convicts will be subjected to lifetime imprisonment. However, the conviction has set a permanent record of the crime.
2. Which country led the investigation against the MH17 shootdown in 2014?
   The Netherlands led the MH17 shootdown investigation.