ECHR rules cases brought by Ukraine, Netherlands against Russia are admissible

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) said Wednesday that cases brought by Ukraine and the Netherlands against Russia were admissible.

The Ukrainian government has complained about alleged human rights violations by separatists in the Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic and by members of the Russian military, the ECHR said in a statement.

The case "concerns complaints related to the conflict in eastern Ukraine involving pro-Russian separatists which began in spring 2014," it added.

The Dutch government "complained about the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine on 17 July 2014," killing 298 people, including 196 Dutch nationals, the court said.

"The Court found that areas in eastern Ukraine in separatist hands were, from 11 May 2014 and up to at least 26 January 2022, under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation," it noted.

The Netherlands filed the case in 2020, while the two Ukrainian cases were filed in 2014.

"The Court held that Russia had had effective control over all areas in the hands of separatists from 11 May 2014 on account of its military presence in eastern Ukraine and the decisive degree of influence it enjoyed over these areas as a result of its military, political and economic support to the 'DPR' and the 'LPR'," the statement added.