Russia is suing Ukraine over, among other things, shooting down MH17 Abroad

The complaint also concerns civilian deaths during a violent uprising in the capital Kiev against the government of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. He was chased away in February 2014 and fled to Russia. According to Moscow, he was overthrown by a violent coup d’état supported by Western countries.

The deposition of Yanukovych immediately led to unrest in mainly eastern parts of Ukraine where the population speaks Russian or where the population is culturally or economically oriented towards Russia. It sparked a civil war in the east of the country that is still going on and is estimated to have killed at least 13,000 people.

Ukrainian Justice Minister Denis Maljuska immediately dismissed the complaint as ridiculous. He said the Kremlin may think the court in Strasbourg is “a Russian talk show.” They don’t stand a chance legally, says Maljuska. An international commission of inquiry, meanwhile, holds Russians responsible for the downing of MH17 and has charged four of them. Ukraine is on the committee and Russia is not.

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