Australia Urges Russia To Cooperate With Initiatives To Prosecute MH17 Suspects

Flowers are seen left by parents of an Australian victim of MH17, which was shot down over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing everyone on board. (file photo)

Australia has urged Russia to cooperate with new moves to prosecute suspected perpetrators, who brought down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing all 298 aboard.

Dutch investigators concluded in 2015 that the jet was shot down by a Russian-made Buk missile over conflict-torn eastern Ukrainian territory held by Russia-backed separatists.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop urged Russia to comply with UN Security Council resolution 2166, authored by Australia.

"That calls on all states to cooperate to ensure that those responsible for the killing are brought to justice," Bishop said on July 16.

Last month, the Netherlands said that suspects in the case would be tried in a Dutch court, and under Dutch law.

Russia, which denies any involvement in the fighting in eastern Ukraine, also denies one of its rockets could have been used to bring down MH17.

Most of those on board the Boeing 777 on the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, were Dutch, but it was also carrying other passengers from 17 countries, including dozens of Australians.

Based on reporting by Reuters and perthnow.com