The Squiz 

It’s been 10 years to the day since Malaysia Airlines flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine by a Russian-made Buk missile, killing all 298 people onboard – including 38 Australians, 196 Dutch nationals, 43 Malaysians and people from 7 other countries. Commemorations are taking place around the world, including at Parliament House in Canberra. The main services will be at the MH17 National Monument in the Netherlands, where Australia will be represented by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus. He says he will “pay tribute to the courage and resilience of those whose loved ones were killed aboard … those who responded to the disaster and the investigation team who identified those responsible for this horrific crime.”

Back it up a bit…

The flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur lost contact with air traffic control 3 hours in. The Dutch Safety Board found a missile exploded above the cockpit, causing the plane to break up mid-air with the debris landing in Ukraine’s Donetsk region – controlled by Russian-backed separatists. A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) with experts from the victims’ nations was formed to identify/prosecute those responsible. It found “strong indications” that Russian President Vladimir Putin approved sending the military weapon to separatists, but Dutch Police say the answer to why MH17 was shot down “still remains in Russia”. Russia has brushed off accusations it was responsible, calling the JIT “biased and politically motivated”. In 2020, 3 separatists were sentenced to life imprisonment in absentia, but the JIT believes up to 100 are to blame. In February last year, the 8-year investigation was suspended.

Where are things at now?

Some of the victims’ families are still holding out for an apology from Russia, but experts say the chances of further arrests are unlikely as the JIT concluded there isn’t enough evidence to prosecute other suspects. Dutch PM Dick Schoof says being “unable to put anyone behind bars” is a problem even less likely to be resolved due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Evert van Zijtveld lost 4 family members – he says “in many ways those on the plane were some of the first victims of this ongoing war”. The emotional wounds also continue for the investigators, including hundreds of Australian Federal Police officers. Aussie Marite Norris, who lost her 3 children and father in the tragedy, says she wants other people suffering tremendous loss to know that life can be “manageable” again (paywall) “because the love that you have is always there… It never dies.”