Ukraine

Multiple witnesses in the MH17 trial are afraid of retribution or even being assassinated over their testimony in this case, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) said on the second day of the trial against the first four men suspected of involvement in the downing of the Malaysia Airlines plane in Ukraine in 2014. Dozens of witnesses are at risk of being seriously threatened by the Russian security forces, the OM said, NOS reports.

A massive 2,062 days after flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine, the trial against the first four suspects is starting in the high-security court at Schiphol on Monday. The first litigation days this week will not be about the content of the case, but have a more inventory-like nature, NOS reports.

Just after flight MH17 was shot down in eastern Ukraine, the Dutch armed forces had concrete plans to enter the country and surround the disaster area - to safeguard evidence and remains, the Telegraaf reports based on an interview with Commander of the Land Forces Martin Wijnen. This is the first time the Ministry of Defense confirms rumors of this mission, according to the newspaper.

Russia deliberately obstructed a request from the Netherlands for the provisional arrest and extradition of Vladimir Tsemakh - a suspect in the investigation into the downing of flight MH17, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) said in a statement on Monday. 

The names of senior officials in the Russian government are mentioned in telephone conversations between pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine about the downing of flight MH17, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) revealed in a call for witnesses on Thursday, NU.nl reports.

At least eight Dutch people fought in the civil war in Ukraine, both on the Ukrainian side and on the pro-Russian side, according to a report by American research agency The Soufan Center on the rise of violent right-wing extremism worldwide, AD reports.

The report calls the Ukrainian civil war a "laboratory" for the international right-wing extremist movement. "For them, Ukraine is what Syria is for jihadists", the report states. "White supremacists are forming worldwide networks, just like the jihadists did before the September 11 attacks in America."

The court of appeal in Kiev, Ukraine decided to release Vladimir Tsemach from custody, Ukrainian news agency Interfax-Ukraine reports. Tsemach was a commander for the self proclaimed pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic. The Public Prosecution Service in the Netherlands wants to question him in connection with the downing of flight MH17. 

Thursday was a tumultuous day for Dutch football in the third Europea League qualifying rounds. While AZ failed to score a single goal against FC Marioepol despite having 20 shots, Feyenoord managed to score three goals in 10 minutes against Dinamo Tbilisi. The AZ vs FC Marioepol match ended 0-0, the Feyenoord vs Dinamo Tbilisi one ended 4-0.

Ukraine and Canada have joined a lawsuit relatives of people killed in the MH17 disaster filed against Russia at the European Court of Human Rights, Sander de Lang, one of the lawyers representing relatives in this case, confirmed to NU.nl after a report in AD.

The surviving relatives filed the complaint against Russia in 2016, holding the country liable for downing the Malaysia Airlines flight over eastern Ukraine on 17 July 2014. On April 4th, the European Court of Human Rights announced that it would handle the complaint. 

Four suspects will be prosecuted for murder in connection with the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine in July 2014, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) announced in a press conference on Wednesday. The trial against the four suspects will be held in the Netherlands, starting in March 2020. “We now have the information, have the proof, that the Russian Federation is involved in this tragedy, in this crime, one way or another.” Dutch Prosecutor Fred Westerbeke said in the press conference. 

At a press conference in Nieuwegein on Wednesday, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) will reveal four names of persons who are suspected of downing flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Olena Zerkal said, NOS reports.