Malaysian PM raises downing of MH17 with Putin as captain’s son calls for justice

Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim raised the issue of downing of a Malaysian Airlines flight with Russian president Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of his bilateral visit to Moscow that was overshadowed by the UN report on the 2014 crash.

The UN aviation council ruled that Russia was responsible for the downing of the flight MH17 which killed 289 people nearly 11 years ago.

The Kremlin has always denied any responsibility into the aviation tragedy, for which the victims of the families have continued to call for justice.

Moscow last week rejected the International Civil Aviation Organisation Council's (ICAO) ruling, calling it biased.

On Wednesday, Mr Anwar said Mr Putin expressed condolences to the families of those killed, which included 196 Dutch citizens, 43 Malaysians, and 38 Australian citizens or residents.

Mr Putin insisted on a meticulous and thorough investigation on the incident that was free from political influence, Mr Anwar said.

"I mentioned that this is a report made by ICAO, to which he (Putin) replied that from the beginning, he had requested that the investigation be independent and thorough,” the Malaysian premier said on Facebook.

"Malaysia remains resolute in ensuring accountability and a just resolution for the victims and their families who continue to bear the weight of this tragedy," he said.

He said Mr Putin dismissed claims that Russia was reluctant to cooperate in the investigation, and said that the Kremlin was prepared to engage with bodies it deemed impartial.

“Russia is ready to provide all cooperation to ensure that the report was more credible or authoritative,” he told reporters.

Talks became a significant talking point during Mr Anwar’s three-day visit to Russia which was aimed at strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, agriculture, education, aerospace and energy.

On Wednesday, the son of the pilot on the fateful Malaysian Airlines flight demanded justice into the e “senseless downing” of the flight.

He called it “an act of violence that claimed 298 innocent lives and shattered countless families”, according to Malaysian outlet The Star.

“MH17 was not just a plane; it was our national carrier, carrying our people under our flag,” he said.

“The ICAO findings and international investigations have made it clear – Russia was responsible.

“And still, the authorities have failed to act with the resolve and compassion expected in the face of one of the worst aviation tragedies in history,” he said.

Mr Irfan was nine years old when the plane was brought down and he followed his father’s footsteps to build a career in aviation.

“Over a decade has passed, yet not a day goes by without thoughts of him,” Mr Irfan said, adding that there has been no recognition or clear path towards justice by the Malaysian government since the tragedy.

“We, the next of kin, have been treated as if we are just a footnote in a long-forgotten chapter,” he said.

The Boeing 777 aircraft was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur at an altitude of 33,000 feet on 17 July 2014 when it was allegedly shot down by a Russian surface-to-air missile over eastern Ukraine. Intense fighting was going on at the time between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces.

There were 10 British citizens, as well as Belgian and Australians on board.

The case was brought to the UN for investigation in 2022 by the Australian and Dutch governments, which had a majority of nationals.

"We call upon Russia to finally face up to its responsibility for this horrific act of violence and make reparations for its egregious conduct", said Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong in a statement as Canberra welcome the findings.

The Dutch foreign minister, Caspar Veldkamp, said it was an "important step towards establishing the truth and achieving justice and accountability".

He said it sends a clear message to countries that "states cannot violate international law with impunity".

The ICAO ruled that Russia "failed to uphold its obligations under international air law in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17".

In 2022, a Dutch court convicted two Russian men and a Ukrainian of murder in absentia for their alleged role in the crash. They were sentenced to life in prison, but Moscow called the ruling "scandalous" and said it would not extradite its citizens.

The Dutch government spent more than £158m dealing with the aftermath of the airliner’s downing from repatriating bodies of the victims to investigating and prosecuting those responsible.