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.