President Poroshenko: Russia must be held responsible for downing MH17

17.07.2018 10:45

Ukrinform

Russia must be held responsible for the terrorist attack of downing MH17 flight, as the Joint Investigation Team found that the plane had been shot down by the BUK Russian air defense missile system, which belonged to Russian troops and had been delivered from Russia.

"[Today is the] fourth anniversary of MH17 tragedy. We bow our heads in sorrow and pray with the families of 298 tragically killed passengers. The Joint Investigation Team uniting the representatives of Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine found that the plane had been shot down by the BUK Russian air defense missile system, which belonged to Russian troops and had been delivered from Russia. Russia must be held responsible for this terrorist act," President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko wrote on Facebook.

He assured that Ukraine would continue to provide all the necessary assistance in carrying out the professional investigation and punishing the perpetrators of the tragedy. As the President noted, this intention is confirmed by the recent ratification by the Ukrainian parliament of the agreement between Ukraine and the Netherlands on international legal cooperation regarding the crimes related to MH17 crash. It governs the cooperation of the relevant authorities of both countries and the prosecution and conviction of the perpetrators within the judicial system of the Netherlands.

"I believe in establishing truth and achieving justice: all those involved in this terrorist act must be held liable and punished," the Head of State summed up.

As a reminder, the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down over the village of Hrabove, Donetsk region, in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014. All 298 people onboard were killed.