Russia has been urged by Julie Bishop to admit its involvement in the downing of flight MH17 and the deaths of all 298 passengers.

May 29, 2018

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has urged Russia to admit its involvement in the downing of flight MH17, calling on the federation to take responsibility for its actions that led to the death of all 298 people aboard.

Ms Bishop said the Russian Federation had been officially informed in Moscow, the Hague and Canberra that the missile that shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014 was fired by the Russian army’s 53rd anti-aircraft missiles brigade.

“The missile system was transported from Russia into Ukraine and into territory that was controlled at the time by Russian-backed fighters,” Ms Bishop told parliament on Tuesday.

“The missile system was then transported into Russia immediately that very same day.”

The decision to deploy the sophisticated military weapon directly led to the passenger and crew deaths, she said.

Ms Bishop called on the Russian government to enter into negotiations and comply with the unanimous UN Security Council resolution that requires all states to fully co-operate in all efforts to establish accountability.

The Australian government has allocated more than $50 million to the legal prosecution and the travel expenses of victims’ families wishing to attend the hearings, she said.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten rebuked the Russian ambassador’s recent dismissal of the investigation’s report, while pledging Labor’s support to the government’s efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“When it comes to the MH17 atrocity, this parliament is of one mind, there is no daylight, there are no shades of grey, the UN Security Council resolutions must be respected,” he said.

Earlier, former prime minister Tony Abbott called on Australia to expel the Russian ambassador if Moscow refused to apologise for its involvement.

Mr Abbott – who once famously threatened to shirt-front Vladimir Putin over the atrocity – said a country could not be complicit in the deaths of 38 Australians and face no consequences.

“If the Russians don’t apologise, we should expel the Russian ambassador until they do,” he told The Australian on Tuesday.

A joint investigation last week found a Russian missile was used to shoot down the Malaysia Airlines passenger jet over eastern Ukraine in July 2014.

The plane was headed from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was blown out of the sky, killing all 298 passengers and crew, including 38 Australians.

President Putin has denied any responsibility under international law.