The Dutch ambassador to Russia Gilles Beschoor Plug has been summoned by the Kremlin because of the MH17 trial. That made the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs known Friday. According to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which investigated the attack, everything indicates that Russian President Vladimir Putin is partly responsible for the downing of the plane. Russia says the trial, which was halted on February 8, was political in nature.
The civilian aircraft MH17 with many Dutch people on board was shot down in 2014 by a Russian-made Boek missile. Putin authorized all arms transfers to the pro-Russian rebels in the then-occupied Donbas region, according to the JIT. That would mean that Putin was also responsible for supplying the kind of missiles the separatists used to shoot down MH17. Nevertheless, according to the JIT, there was not enough concrete evidence against Putin to be charged.
More than a week later, Russia now reacts with anger to the JIT, which, according to the Kremlin, had already prepared its conclusions in advance. The attack on MH17 has been under investigation for 8.5 years. Three separatists were convicted in absentia, one was acquitted.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigrid Kaag (D66) confirmed on Friday that ambassador Plug will report to the Russian government. According to Kaag, summoning the ambassador is part of the diplomatic game, and the Netherlands will continue to focus on international justice.
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