Europe’s top human rights court has ruled that Russia violated international law in Ukraine, marking the first time an international court has found Moscow responsible for human rights abuses since the full-scale invasion in 2022.

Judges at the European Court of Human Rights also ruled on Wednesday that Russia was behind the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, the first time Moscow was named by an international court as being responsible for the 2014 tragedy that killed 298 people.

Judges at the Strasbourg court are ruling on four cases brought by Ukraine and the Netherlands against Russia, encompassing a wide range of alleged human rights violations since the start of the conflict, including the downing of MH17 and the kidnapping of Ukrainian children.

Any decision will be largely symbolic. The complaints were brought before the court’s governing body expelled Russia in 2022, following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Families of the victims of the MH17 disaster see the decision as an important milestone in their 11-year quest for justice.

The Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down on July 17, 2014, using a Russian-made Buk missile fired from territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by separatist rebels. All 298 passengers and crew were killed, including 196 Dutch citizens.

In May, the United Nations’ aviation agency found Russia responsible for the disaster.

The court’s ruling comes after Russia targeted Ukraine with a record 728 drones overnight, shortly after United States President Donald Trump pledged to send more defensive weapons to Kyiv and indicated he was considering steep sanctions on Moscow.

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday that the diplomatic means to resolve the war in Ukraine have been exhausted and promised to continue supporting Kyiv’s fight against Russian aggression.

This is a developing story. More to come …