Debris from Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 on the outskirts of Rassypnoe village in 2014. Credit:Kate Geraghty
MH17 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down by a missile fired from territory held by pro-Russian rebels during fighting in eastern Ukraine,international investigators say. All 298 people on board were killed,two-thirds of them Dutch nationals.
After years of collecting evidence,a Dutch-led international Joint Investigation team (JIT) last year said the missile launcher used to hit the civilian airplane came from a Russian army base just across the border.
The Netherlands holds Russia responsible and has started legal proceedings at the European Court of Human Rights. It is prosecuting four individuals – three Russians and a Ukrainian – for shooting down the aircraft and killing everyone on board.
Dutch disappointment
"It is a disappointment and also a surprise,"Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said in response to Moscow's decision.
"It must especially be a disappointment for the relatives to hear that this venue towards truth and justice for now has been blocked."
"I cannot exclude any actions (against Russia) for now,but first and foremost is my invitation to the Russians to come back to the negotiating table,"Blok said.