17 of July will forever remain in our memory as a tragic day of a terrible terrorist act, which killed 298 people. Four years ago the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down by the Russian anti-aircraft missile system «Buk».
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses its sincere condolences to all relatives and next of kin of those who died in this catastrophe.
Currently it is our common duty and matter of honor to establish and bring to justice those involved in the downing of the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.
Throughout four years the Joint Investigation Team, which includes investigators and prosecutors from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine, has been working hard and scrupulously in order to identify perpetrators and bring them to justice.
It has already been established that the missile system «Buk», which shot down the MH17, belonged to the 53-rd Air Defense Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces. It was illegally delivered on the territory of Ukraine through the uncontrolled part of the Ukrainian-Russian state border and hastily returned back to Russia after the downing of the aircraft.
Such actions are not only criminally punishable, but also constitute violation of the norms of international law. Ukraine resorted to the International Court of Justice to prove that the Russian Federation by such actions violated the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.
Ukraine welcomes and supports the initiative of the Netherlands and Australia to bring the Russian Federation to responsibility for its role in downing the MH17 flight.
Last week the Agreement between Ukraine and the Netherlands on international legal cooperation regarding crimes related to the downing of flight MH17 was almost simultaneously ratified by the parliaments of the Netherlands and Ukraine.
We will continue to provide all possible assistance in this important case and will cooperate with our partners for the sake of the establishment of justice.