Anwar says raised MH17 downing with Putin in Moscow

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s premier Anwar Ibrahim said Wednesday he discussed the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 with Russian President Vladimir Putin, days after the UN’s aviation agency blamed the 2014 tragedy on Moscow.

Anwar was in the Russian capital on an official state visit after the International Civil Aviation Organization released its findings that Russia was responsible for the passenger jet’s downing in a ruling dismissed by Moscow as “biased”.

Anwar said Putin told him Moscow “was ready” to assist in an investigation by any organisation that it deemed independent.

“I can say for sure that, he (Putin) denied saying that he is not ready to cooperate,” Anwar said Thursday in a statement issued by his office in Malaysia.

“But he is unable to work with anybody that Russia deems to be not independent,” the Malaysian leader said, adding that Russia had “from the start asked for an independent and thorough investigation”.

“The Russians are ready to cooperate to ensure that the report is more credible,” Anwar said after bilateral talks with the Russian leader a day before.

Eleven years ago, a Boeing 777 belonging to Malaysia’s official carrier was shot down by a Russian-made BUK missile over war-torn eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 on board.

The majority of passengers were Dutch, but there were also 43 Malaysians and 38 Australians on board the scheduled flight between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014.

Both the Netherlands and Australia have called on Russia to assume responsibility for the downing and pay damages.

“The Russian Federation failed to uphold its obligations under international air law in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17,” ICAO said.

The claims brought by Australia and the Netherlands were “well founded in fact and in law,” it added.

A Dutch court in November 2022 sentenced three men — all part of a group of pro-Russian rebels fighting Ukrainian forces — to life in prison for their roles in the passenger liner’s downing.

But none of the men ever appeared in court after Russia refused to extradite them.

Anwar said Malaysia would continue to push for justice for relatives of victims.

“Malaysia remains resolute in ensuring accountability and a just resolution for the victims and their families who continue to bear the weight of this tragedy,” he said.