“The Court unanimously finds that there has been a violation of Article 2 of the Convention in its substantive limb in relation to the downing of MH17,” said Court President Matthias Guyomar, referring to the article that protects the right to life.
The judgment was issued in response to a joint case filed by the Netherlands and Ukraine against the Russian Federation. The complaint concerns a broader range of events in eastern Ukraine starting in 2014, including the MH17 tragedy in which all 298 people aboard the aircraft were killed.
Russia Dismisses Court’s Decision
In its response, the Kremlin dismissed the Court’s decision outright. Speaking to reporters, presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia considers the rulings of the Strasbourg-based court "null and void" and has no intention of complying with them.
“We do not intend to comply,” Peskov said. “That is all that can be said.”
The ruling is part of a broader case examining Russia's alleged human rights violations in eastern Ukraine, particularly in territories under its purported control during the armed conflict. The case has drawn intense international attention, as the MH17 crash remains one of the most politically and emotionally charged events of the war in Donbas.
On July 9, the ECHR delivered its long-anticipated decision on the joint application from the Netherlands and Ukraine. The verdict further isolates Russia on the international legal stage amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and Moscow’s rejection of international tribunal jurisdictions.
