10 years since downing of Malaysia airlines flight MH17

Leader of the Government in the Senate
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Senator the Hon Penny Wong

Attorney-General
Cabinet Secretary
The Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP

Joint media release

Today marks ten years since the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and the tragic loss of 298 lives, including 38 people who called Australia home.

Ten years on, those killed that day remain in our hearts and in our purpose. Our thoughts are with their loved ones – the passing of time does not diminish the pain of their loss.

We acknowledge and remember the courage and resilience shown by those who responded to the disaster. We recognise the Australian Federal Police, Defence Force and Australian Transport Safety Bureau personnel whose work was central to the thorough and painstaking investigation.
 
Australia remains steadfast in our commitment to seeking truth, justice and accountability from those responsible for this horrific act of violence.

In November 2022, the District Court of The Hague found Russians Igor Girkin and Sergey Dubinskiy, and Ukrainian separatist Leonid Kharchenko guilty for their involvement in the downing of Flight MH17 and the murder of all 298 on board.

Australia has imposed sanctions against these three, as well as Sergey Muchkaev who commanded the Russian Brigade that provided the surface-to-air missile that shot down Flight MH17.

The Court unequivocally and conclusively established Russia’s responsibility for the downing of Flight MH17.

Australia continues to call for the Russian Federation to take responsibility for the role it played and to cooperate to ensure these perpetrators serve their sentences.

Australia and the Netherlands are pursuing accountability through a dispute against the Russian Federation in the International Civil Aviation Organization Council.

Today, the Foreign Minister will host a memorial service with victims’ families, along with first responders, investigators and officials, at Parliament House in Canberra.

The Attorney-General will attend an event in the Netherlands hosted by the MH17 Air Disaster (Next of Kin) Foundation with representatives from victims’ families and loved ones.