MH17 relatives ‘hope for justice’ from international report

Relatives of those killed when MH17 was destroyed over Ukraine hope an international report is the first step to justice.

Grieving families of passengers and crew killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was destroyed mid-air over Eastern Ukraine are hoping tonight’s long-awaited international report about the perpetrators is the first step to justice.

Investigators from the inter­national group, including Australia, will detail specific details about the circumstances and provide detailed analysis of the cause of the destruction of MH17 on July 17, 2014, that resulted in a break-up of the aircraft that may have left some passengers fleetingly conscious and aware of events.

Russia has already moved to muddy the findings of the report, which is expected to directly blame a Russian Buk missile system commanded by the Russian 53rd Brigade.

Russian Ministry of Defence officials claimed yesterday to have new radar data that shows the aircraft could have been targeted only by a missile fired from the south or west in areas of Ukraine control, not from the investigation’s anticipated findings it was fired from the east in a field outside of the town of Snizhne. The report may back up local belief that Russian-backed rebels were expecting a Ukrainian Antonov plane loaded with paratroopers to cross into rebel-held territory that day and the Buk attack was a case of mistaken identity.

Relatives of the 298 killed, who included 38 Australians, will be informed of the investigation findings in a closed meeting before the Dutch release the information in a press conference in Utrecht.

The lengthy international analysis is the first stage of bringing to justice the people responsible for the deaths despite Russia threatening to use its veto in the UN Security Council to thwart a war crimes trial. Eighty of the victims were children.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said countries that had lost people in the crash were looking at jurisdictions other than the UN to bring about a trial.

Separately, Jerry Skinner, a US aviator lawyer representing 33 family members of 16 victims from Australia, New Zealand and Mal­aysia has lodged a $US330 million claim in the European Court of Human Rights against Russia, alleging the surface-to-air missile was fired from Eastern Ukraine by soldiers ultimately under the authority of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Among the relatives involved are the parents of Perth scientist Fatima Dyczynski and the son of Sydney schoolteacher Gabriele Lauschet.

A second claim has been filed in the same court by four other relatives accusing Ukraine of incompetence for failing to close air space above the conflict beyond 3200m for commercial air traffic.