BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 15. The UK Government has
welcomed a landmark decision by the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO), which found that the Russian Federation
violated international aviation law in the downing of Malaysian
Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014, Trend reports.
In an unprecedented ruling on 12 May 2025, a clear majority of
ICAO Council Member States concluded that Russia breached Article
3bis of the Chicago Convention by using weapons against a civil
aircraft in flight—an act that resulted in the deaths of all 298
people on board, including 10 UK citizens.
“This is a historic first for ICAO,” the UK Government said in
an official statement. “The ruling reaffirms that those who violate
the international rules of civil aviation will be held to
account.”
The downing of Flight MH17 on 17 July 2014 shocked the
international community and led to years of investigation, legal
proceedings, and diplomatic pressure. The ICAO Council’s decision
represents the first time the organization has ruled on the merits
of a dispute in its 80-year history.
The UK described the decision as “a vital step towards justice
for the victims and their families,” while also underscoring what
it called “Russia’s reckless and dangerous behaviour and its
callous disregard for civilian lives.”
British officials also commended the leadership shown by ICAO in
handling the case “robustly and transparently,” adding that the UK
remains committed to supporting the organization in its mission to
uphold international law and protect the safety and security of
global airspace.
