Not MH17 shooters but Putin in Dutch suspect bank

According to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the lawsuit against four suspects of shooting down flight MH17 does not mean the end of investigation and prosecution. He calls the hearings a very important step to finding the truth, but also justice for the victims and their relatives.

According to Rutte, the criminal trial is a long-term process and a lot of patience. Step by step we come closer to finding out the truth, and to tracking down and prosecuting those responsible for bringing down flight MH17. According to Rutte, that remains the highest priority for the Dutch cabinet. The death of 298 innocent people of 17 different nationalities cannot and must not go unpunished.

According to the Dutch government leader, research is still being done into possible other suspects of the attack. On Monday, the lawsuit against the first four suspects will start in the extra secure court on the grounds of Schiphol Airport. Three Russians and one Ukrainian are on trial there. They will probably not be present at the sessions, and will be tried in the absence.

Prime Minister Rutte said on Friday after his weekly cabinet meeting that the Netherlands wants to keep the pressure on. The start of the court case before a Dutch court is also causing pressure and, according to Prime Minister Rutte, will create "inconvenience" in certain countries. He did not name countries by name, but it may be assumed that he meant Russian President Putin.

According to international researchers, the Malaysian passenger plane with 298 people on board, including 196 Dutchmen, was shot down by a Russian army-manufactured Buk anti-aircraft missile, and that launch device also returned to Russia after being fired from East Ukraine's rebel area. The men who are now being tried have not fired the rocket themselves ('pushed the button'), but were responsible for the deployment of the deadly weapon.

In 2018, the Netherlands held Russia liable for involvement in shooting down flight MH17. That happened together with Australia. Both countries hope to force Russia to cooperate in the investigation and settlement of the drama. In the meantime, contact is being maintained with the Russians 'at diplomatic level'. Although that process is formally separate from the legal process that starts on Monday, many believe that the Kremlin and Russian President Putin are actually in the suspect bank.

From the very beginning, Moscow and the pro-Russian militias have denied in various ways and contradicted that they were in any way responsible or involved in the shooting of the Malaysian aircraft. For example, it was initially denied that the MH17 had been shot down, and subsequently it was denied that a BUK rocket had been fired. When the JIT investigators or the private Bellingcat investigators then came up with Russians' irrefutable evidence, new smokescreens were raised by Moscow. Some half-truths, whole lies and unbelievable denials were held to the absurd.

If the Kremlin had already thought that it could conceal reality with denials, vagueness, contradictions, agitation and fake news, it can now be concluded after six years that the Russians have put together an untenable Gordian knot of lies for themselves . In fact, they mainly ensured that the real shooters were not charged, but that they put the Kremlin and Putin in the dock.