The International Civil Aviation Organization (DOPA) has ruled today that Russia is responsible for the crash of Malaysian aircraft in Ukraine in 2014, which drove 298 occupants to death, the Dutch government said.

The announcement states that the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization will consider the form and amount of compensation in the coming weeks.

The aircraft, operating Malaysian Airlines’ MH17 flight, departed on July 17, 2014 from Amsterdam, the Netherlands to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. He was dismissed while flying over Eastern Ukraine amid hostilities between pro -Russian separatists and Ukrainian armed forces.

In November 2022, Dutch justice had condemned two Russians in absentia and one Ukrainian for their role in attack. Moscow described the verdict as “scandalous” and made it clear that it would not issue its citizens.

The International Civil Aviation Organization, based in Montreal, Canada, did not immediately respond to a Reuters news agency request for commentary. In 2022 Australia and the Netherlands took joint legal action against the Russian Federation on the downing of the Malaysian aircraft.

“The decision is an important step towards revealing the truth and the rendering of justice and accountability for all the victims of the MH17 flight, their families and their loved ones,” said Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Feldab. “This decision also sends a clear message to the international community: States cannot violate international law without being punished,” he added.

The Netherlands and Australia are calling on the DOPO Council to claim Russia to participate in negotiations to pay compensation, Feldab said.