The European Union and victims’ families have called on Russia to accept its role in the downing of flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine on the fifth anniversary of the crash.
A missile shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine as it was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014. An international investigative team set up to look into the crash named three Russians and one Ukrainian last month as suspects in the murder of the 298 people on board.
“The EU calls on Russia to accept its responsibility and cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation,” the Council of the European Union said in a statement ahead of the anniversary.
The victims’ families also called on the Russian government to “take your share of responsibility” for the downing of MH17 and accused it of “disingenuous denials, lies and deceit.”
“[T]he truth about what happened to MH17 exists and it matters,” the families of over a dozen victims wrote in a letter published by Russia’s Novaya Gazeta newspaper Tuesday.
“A trial sends the important message that you cannot kill innocent people and expect no consequences,” they said.
Moscow has consistently denied claims of its involvement in the downing of MH17.
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