17 Jul 201413:20 UTC
Turning point
MH17 is brought down over eastern Ukraine
The Dutch Safety Board found that a warhead detonated at 13:20 UTC and brought the aircraft down over eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on board were killed.
Incident
How the MH17 shootdown investigation and verdict unfolded
Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was brought down over eastern Ukraine on 17 July 2014 by a Buk missile, killing all 298 people on board, according to the Dutch Safety Board. A Dutch court convicted three men of murder in absentia in 2022, and the ICAO Council and the European Court of Human Rights later held Russia responsible. Russia denies involvement and has appealed the ICAO decision to the International Court of Justice.
17 July 2014 to today · 29 dated events · 19 sources
Where it stands now · as of 1 November 2026
The three criminal convictions are final, though none of the suspects appeared at trial, according to AP. Russia's appeal against the ICAO Council's 30 June 2025 reparations decision is pending at the International Court of Justice, which fixed time limits for written pleadings in November 2025.
In 30 seconds: the turning points
people killed298all on board, per the Dutch Safety Board
men convicted3in absentia, life sentences
moral damages awarded16m EURmore than, across 306 claims
possible launch area320 sq kmin the Dutch Safety Board report
Timeline of events
Overview · 17 Jul 2014 to 17 Jul 2026 · click a dot to jump
2014
· · · 15 months later
2015
13 Oct 2015
Turning point
Dutch Safety Board publishes final report
The board concluded that the aircraft was hit by a 9N314M warhead carried on a Buk surface to air missile launched from a 320 square kilometre area in eastern Ukraine. It said fixing the exact launch site required forensic investigation outside its mandate.
“No scenario other than a Buk surface-to-air missile can explain this combination of facts.”Dutch Safety Board, Dutch Safety Board (Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid)
13 Oct 2015
Board says the airspace should have been closed
The Dutch Safety Board concluded that Ukraine had sufficient reason to close the entire airspace over the eastern part of the country as a precaution, but only lower altitudes were restricted, on military grounds.
2016
28 Sep 2016
Turning point
JIT says the Buk came from Russia and went back
The Joint Investigation Team said MH17 was downed by a 9M38 series Buk missile fired from an agricultural field near Pervomaiskyi, then held by pro Russian fighters. It said the Buk system was brought from Russian territory and the convoy crossed back into Russia during the night after the launch.
28 Sep 2016
About 100 people identified
In the same release the JIT said it had identified approximately 100 persons linked to the downing or to the transport of the Buk, and stressed that they were not automatically suspects.
· · · 20 months later
2018
24 May 2018
Turning point
JIT names a Russian army brigade
The JIT said the Buk launcher came from the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade of the Russian armed forces, based in Kursk, according to the Public Prosecution Service and Defense News. It showed parts of a 9M38 series missile and said the launcher had joined a convoy of the brigade between 23 and 25 June 2014.
25 May 2018
Netherlands and Australia hold Russia responsible
The Netherlands and Australia said they held Russia responsible under international law for its part in the downing, according to Meduza and the Dutch government. Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok called on Russia to accept its responsibility, and Russia's Defense Ministry denied involvement and argued that the missile did not come from its arsenal, Meduza reported.
“We call on Russia to accept its responsibility and cooperate fully with the process to establish the truth”Stef Blok, Dutch Foreign Minister, Meduza
2019
19 Jun 2019
Turning point
Four suspects to be prosecuted
The Netherlands Public Prosecution Service announced the prosecution of four suspects for downing flight MH17, Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinskiy, Oleg Pulatov and Leonid Kharchenko, and said the trial would begin on 9 March 2020.
2020
9 Mar 2020
Trial opens without the defendants present
The trial of the four men began with a series of preliminary hearings, according to the Public Prosecution Service. None of the suspects appeared at trial, the Associated Press later reported.
25 Nov 2020
Pre trial phase completed
The Public Prosecution Service said the pre trial phase of the case was completed on 25 November 2020.
2021
7 Jun 2021
Substantive hearing begins
The court began its substantive hearing of the cases against the four defendants, according to the Public Prosecution Service.
Sep 2021
Relatives address the court
More than a hundred relatives of the people killed used their right to speak in September and November 2021, the Public Prosecution Service said.
22 Dec 2021
Prosecutors seek life sentences
Prosecutors demanded life sentences against all four defendants, the Public Prosecution Service said.
2022
Mar 2022
Pulatov's defence pleads
Pulatov's defence made its plea in March 2022, the Public Prosecution Service said.
14 Mar 2022
Netherlands and Australia take Russia to ICAO
The Netherlands and Australia started legal proceedings against Russia before the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization over the downing, and informed the UN Security Council, the Dutch government said.
10 Jun 2022
Hearings close
The trial hearings ended on 10 June 2022, according to the Public Prosecution Service.
17 Nov 2022
Turning point
Three men convicted of murder
The District Court of The Hague convicted Girkin, Dubinskiy and Kharchenko in absentia of causing the crash of MH17 and of the murder of the 298 people on board, and sentenced each to life imprisonment. It found the missile was fired from a farm field near Pervomaiskyi in separatist controlled territory.
17 Nov 2022
Pulatov acquitted
The court acquitted Pulatov. It found he knew of the Buk's presence but that there was no evidence of active or crucial involvement in its deployment, and that he was not near the launch site when the missile was fired.
17 Nov 2022
Court finds the DPR took directions from Russia
The court found that from mid May 2014 the self declared Donetsk People's Republic took directions from the Russian Federation, which made the conflict international. It ruled that DPR fighters could not claim combatant immunity.
“Abundant indications reveal that from mid May 2014, the DPR in fact took directions from the Russian Federation.”District Court of The Hague, District Court of The Hague (courtmh17.com)
17 Nov 2022
Damages awarded to relatives
The court assessed 306 compensation claims under Ukrainian law and awarded moral damages totalling more than 16 million euros, according to its summary of the judgment.
1 Dec 2022
Verdicts become final
The Public Prosecution Service said it would not appeal, so Pulatov's acquittal became irrevocable. It said the three convicted men did not appeal within fourteen days and it considers their judgments irrevocable.
“An appeal would be a great burden for the next of kin”Netherlands Public Prosecution Service, Netherlands Public Prosecution Service
2023
8 Feb 2023
Turning point
JIT cites indications about Putin and suspends inquiry
The JIT said there were strong indications that President Vladimir Putin decided on supplying the Buk system, but that the evidence did not meet the required standard of proof, the Associated Press reported. It suspended the criminal investigation and said Putin would have immunity in the Netherlands as head of state.
“the investigation has now reached its limit. All leads have been exhausted.”Digna van Boetzelaer, Dutch prosecutor, Associated Press, via FOX 5 New York
· · · 27 months later
2025
12 May 2025
Turning point
ICAO Council holds Russia responsible
The ICAO Council decided that Russia is responsible for downing flight MH17 in violation of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, the Dutch government said. Reuters reported the decision and said ICAO did not immediately comment.
“states cannot violate international law with impunity.”Caspar Veldkamp, Dutch Foreign Minister, Government of the Netherlands
30 Jun 2025
ICAO orders reparations talks
The ICAO Council issued a reparations decision ordering the parties to immediately enter into good faith negotiations on reparations, according to the Dutch government.
9 Jul 2025
Turning point
European Court of Human Rights rules against Russia
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights ruled unanimously in Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia, a case that included the downing of MH17. The Dutch government said the court found Russia responsible for the downing, and the Associated Press reported that the court also found Russia's failure to investigate aggravated the suffering of relatives.
Aug 2025
Russia does not answer request for talks
Australia and the Netherlands asked Russia to begin reparations negotiations in August 2025, and Russia did not respond, The Brussels Times reported.
18 Sep 2025
Russia appeals to the International Court of Justice
Russia filed an application against Australia and the Netherlands at the International Court of Justice, appealing the ICAO Council decision of 30 June 2025, according to the court. Meduza reported that Russia's Foreign Ministry said the ICAO ruling was driven by opportunistic political motives.
27 Nov 2025
ICJ fixes time limits for written pleadings
The International Court of Justice issued an order fixing time limits for Russia's Memorial and the Counter-Memorial of Australia and the Netherlands, according to the court's case page.
2026
17 Jul 2026
EU renews call on twelfth anniversary
On the twelfth anniversary of the downing, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas renewed the EU's call for Russia to accept responsibility and to cooperate with efforts for truth, justice and accountability, The Brussels Times reported.
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Sources
19 records, ranked by type- 1Official record13 Oct 2015Crash MH17, 17 July 2014Dutch Safety Board (Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid) · onderzoeksraad.nl
- 2Official record17 Nov 2022Summary of the day in court, 17 November 2022: judgmentDistrict Court of The Hague (courtmh17.com) · courtmh17.com
- 3Official recordMH17 plane crash: prosecution and trialNetherlands Public Prosecution Service · prosecutionservice.nl
- 4Official record1 Dec 2022Netherlands Public Prosecution Service does not appeal the judgement in criminal case MH17Netherlands Public Prosecution Service · prosecutionservice.nl
- 5Official record28 Sep 2016JIT: Preliminary results of MH17 investigation (press release of 28 September 2016)Joint Investigation Team, Landelijk Parket, republished by Scoop · scoop.co.nz
- 6News report24 May 2018This Russian unit is being blamed for downing Malaysian flight MH17Defense News · defensenews.com
- 7News report25 May 2018Denials and accusations from Russia, the Netherlands, Australia, the US, the EU and NATO follow new MH17 findingsMeduza · meduza.io
- 8News report8 Feb 2023'Strong indication' Putin provided missile that downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17Associated Press, via FOX 5 New York · fox5ny.com
- 9Government document12 May 2025ICAO Council: Russian Federation responsible for downing of flight MH17Government of the Netherlands · government.nl
- 10Government documentRussia responsible for downing of Flight MH17 (state responsibility)Government of the Netherlands · government.nl
- 11News report13 May 2025UN aviation body rules Russia downed Malaysian airlinerReuters, via The Moscow Times · themoscowtimes.com
- 12Official record9 Jul 2025The ECHR holds Russia accountable for widespread abuses of human rights arising from the conflict in Ukraine since 2014, including the downing of flight MH17Council of Europe · coe.int
- 13News report10 Jul 2025European court finds Russia responsible for MH17 downing, human rights violations in UkraineAssociated Press, via The Star · thestar.com.my
- 14Official recordAppeal from the ICAO Council decision dated 30 June 2025 (Russian Federation v. Australia and Netherlands)International Court of Justice · icj-cij.org
- 15News report19 Sep 2025Russia appeals U.N. aviation authority ruling holding it responsible for 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17Meduza · meduza.io
- 16News report17 Jul 2026EU renews MH17 justice call as Russia contests reparations years laterThe Brussels Times · brusselstimes.com
- 17Official record24 May 2018Update in criminal investigation MH17 disasterNetherlands Public Prosecution Service · prosecutionservice.nl
- 18Official record19 Jun 2019Prosecution of four suspects for downing flight MH17Netherlands Public Prosecution Service · prosecutionservice.nl
- 19Government document14 Mar 2022The Netherlands and Australia submit complaint against Russia to the International Civil Aviation OrganizationGovernment of the Netherlands · government.nl
Last updated 1 November 2026. Spotted an error? See corrections. Every event links to the record it comes from. Allegations are attributed to whoever made them.