Russia appeals global aviation agency's decision blaming it for downing MH17 over Ukraine in 2014

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MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has filed an appeal to the top United Nations' court challenging the International Civil Aviation Organization's decision that blamed it for shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine in 2014.

Moscow's appeal submitted to the International Court of Justice, the U.N. main judicial organ, contested ICAO's decision “on all grounds, including on grounds of jurisdiction, applicable law, factual findings and fatal procedural violations,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement late Thursday.

In May, the ICAO's Council found Russia responsible for shooting down the MH17 on July 17, 2014, with the loss of 298 lives, marking the first time the global aviation body that represents 193 member states decided a dispute between governments.

The decision followed the 2016 conclusion by a Dutch-led international investigation that the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur airliner was shot down from Ukrainian territory held by separatist rebels using a Buk missile system delivered from Russia. Moscow has denied any involvement in the MH17 tragedy.

The Russian Foreign Ministry charged that the Montreal-based global aviation agency had failed to carry out a “comprehensive, thorough and independent” international probe into the crash and relied instead on the “highly questionable conclusions” of the criminal investigation “carried out under the auspices of an interested party, the Netherlands, and on the basis of adulterated facts that were mostly provided by another interested party, Ukraine.”

“We hope that the International Court of Justice will take an entirely impartial stance on this high-profile case,” the ministry said.