MH17 Verdicts

Two Russians and a Ukrainian separatist convicted of shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014, killing more than 300 people, were yesterday sentenced to life in prison and ordered to pay $16.5 million in fines. One Russian citizen was released due to lack of evidence.

The incident comes amid a separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine sparked by Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula. Investigators concluded that the commercial flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, which rebels believed to be a Ukrainian fighter jet, was shot down by a Russian-made missile.

The judge found that Russia was in overall command of the separatist forces at the time of the incident. However, as the Russian constitution prohibits extradition of its nationals, it seems doubtful that the three will be jailed anytime soon.