Community rallies commemorate 9th anniversary of MH17

On Saturday 15 July in Canberra and Hobart, the Ukrainian community commemorated the 9th anniversary of the shooting down of commercial airline flight MH17 by Russian armed forces over eastern Ukraine, killing 298 people, including 38 Australians. 

The rallies achieved media coverage on SBS, Channel 9, Channel 10, WIN Canberra, Radio 2GB and 2CC, with over 200 people (many from Sydney) attending the Canberra rally outside the Russian Embassy. 

“It is important for us to remember the innocent people, including 38 Australian citizens and residents, who lost their lives in July 2014 as a result of Russian aggression,” said Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) Co-Chair, Kateryna Argyrou. 

“We honour the victims’ relatives and friends, who continue to suffer distress. We were touched that Jane Malcolm, who lost her mother and step-father in the crash, joined us at the rally in Canberra,” she added. 

At the rally, Jane Malcolm said “The Russian Government is still not sorry for what it did. They continue to lie, and mock our pain and suffering. They just don’t care. But they committed a mass crime. They killed my mother and step-father and up-ended my life. They denied my parents the joy of meeting their grandchildren.

“I hope the Australian Government shows more support for Ukraine, and sees it as something that really affects Australia,” she added.  

Ms Argyrou said “We condemn the Russian Government for its refusal to acknowledge and atone for shooting down of MH17, despite a Dutch court ruling which found the plane was shot down by a Russian missile system, with murderous intent by a Russian-controlled armed group, and with strong indications Putin was involved.

“The connection between Russian aggression in 2014 and 2022 is clear. If the world had taken a harder stand against the Russian Federation’s annexation of Crimea and covert war in eastern Ukraine in 2014, Russia might not have been emboldened to mount its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“We also remember the millions of Ukrainians devastated by the impact of Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the thousands who have been killed and the devastation wreaked on Ukraine’s economy, infrastructure and environment. 

“Russia’s war in Ukraine must be stopped. If not, there will only be more misery, violence and death,” she added.