Russia vetoes resolution to set up MH17 international tribunal: online translation

As expected, Russia used its veto at a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on July 29 to block moves to set up an international tribunal to investigate the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

Malaysia in mid-July submitted a draft resolution on setting up the tribunal to the U.N. But Russia soon made it clear that it would oppose the measure, with Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 16 describing any such tribunal as “counterproductive and premature.” Russia was the only country on the 15-member U.N. Security Council to oppose the resolution.

In explaining Russia's decision, Russia's Ambassador to the U.N. Vitaly Churkin reiterated earlier statements that a tribunal would be premature and also questioned whether the investigation into the tragedy could "resist the propaganda" from Western media.

U.S. Permanent Representative to the U.N. Samantha Power hit back, vowing that "no veto will stand in the way" of getting justice for the victims and slamming Russia for having "callously disregarded the public outcry in the affected nations" and "frustrated international peace."

Three countries abstained: China, Angola, Venezuela.

Russia, as one of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, has the power to block approval of a council resolution. For a resolution to pass, it must gain the votes of at least nine of the 15 council members, including all five of the permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Russia’s veto means the countries backing an international investigation into the destruction of MH17 will probably have to look for other ways to move the process along, as well as to put pressure on Russia to cooperate.

The Netherlands, which was given leadership of the current crash investigation and criminal probe into the MH17 tragedy at the request of Ukraine, is likely to be at the forefront of further efforts to widen the investigation. There were 194 Dutch citizens among the 298 who were killed when MH17 broke apart in the air and crashed over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014.

Although the current air crash investigation into the MH17 tragedy that is being carried out by the Dutch Safety Board is not expected to release its findings until October, leaks from the board and investigations carried out by media and citizen journalists strongly indicate that the plane was downed by a powerful Buk anti-aircraft missile. Experts, citing photo, video, wire-tap and satellite imagery, suspect Russia of supplying the missile system to anti-government forces in eastern Ukraine shortly before MH17 was destroyed.

A parallel criminal investigation into the MH17 tragedy that is being carried out by Dutch prosecutors is expected to present its findings only in 2016.