The ECHR claims it can hear a complaint Against Russia for shooting down MH17.

The Netherlands contends that the 2014 downing of airliner MH17 over eastern Ukraine was largely the result of Moscow.

Regarding Moscow's operations in eastern Ukraine before to February 2022, the Netherlands and Ukraine are pursuing it.

The Netherlands and Ukraine filed lawsuits against Russia for alleged rights abuses in eastern Ukraine in 2014, including the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, and Europe's top human rights court has decided that it may hear those claims.

The Dutch and Ukrainian governments' efforts to make Russia legally responsible for its activities in Ukraine have advanced significantly as a result of the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) decision on Wednesday. This decision may also open the way for reparation decisions. A decision on the cases' merits will be made later, the court stated.

The lawsuits were filed before Russia invaded Ukraine on a large basis in late February 2022.

Dutch Justice Minister Dilan Yesilgöz-Zegerius tweeted, "Very excellent news: the verdict of the European Court of Human Rights is another essential step in uncovering the truth and justice for the victims and their family of flight #MH17."

On July 17, 2014, Flight MH17 took off from Amsterdam and was headed for Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down over eastern Ukraine, beginning the continuing war. At the time, combat was raging between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian forces. Both the crew and the 298 passengers perished.

The decision was praised by the Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra as an important step toward accountability.

He wrote, "We will keep doing all in our ability to get justice for all 298 #MH17 victims and their loved ones.

According to the court, evidence presented at a hearing last year proved that, as of May 11, 2014, areas in eastern Ukraine controlled by separatist rebels were "under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation" and that Moscow "had a significant influence on the separatists' military strategy," including by providing weapons, carrying out artillery attacks at the rebels' request, and providing them with political and economic support."

Moscow denies any blame or complicity in the downing of MH17, and in 2014 it also denied having any presence in Ukraine.