Ten years ago today, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine in territory controlled by Russian and Russia-led forces, taking the lives of 298 innocent people, including 80 children. A Joint Investigation Team in 2018 found that the aircraft was shot down by a Russian-made BUK surface-to-air missile fired from that territory, and that the missile launcher used to shoot down MH17 originated from the 53rd Anti-aircraft Brigade of the Russian Federation, stationed in Kursk, Russia. Our thoughts remain with those who perished, and we join with their friends, families, and loved ones in honoring their memory.
Our commemoration of the tenth anniversary of this tragedy takes place under the shadow of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which continues to impose brutal costs on the Ukrainian people. The United States remains committed to holding Russia accountable for war crimes committed during its war against Ukraine and supporting Ukraine in its defense of its territory.
Today we reaffirm our commitment to justice for the passengers of flight MH-17 whose lives were senselessly cut short. In 2022, the District Court of The Hague found three members of Russia’s proxy forces in eastern Ukraine guilty for their roles in the downing of the plane. While this is an important step, more work lies ahead to ensure that all those responsible for the downing of MH17 are held to account and some measure of justice is achieved for those 298 innocent passengers and crew who lost their lives on July 17, 2014.
