European Court Hammers Russia in Historic Ruling Over Ukraine

In a historic ruling, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has found Russia guilty of violating international human rights law in Ukraine, marking the first time an international tribunal has held Moscow accountable for abuses linked to its full-scale invasion, which began in 2022.

In its decision on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, the Strasbourg-based court ruled that Russia was responsible for a broad range of violations.

These include the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in 2014, a verdict that marks the first international court recognition of Moscow’s direct role in the deadly incident that killed 298 people.

The ruling stems from four major cases filed by Ukraine and the Netherlands.

These cases covered a wide array of alleged human rights infringements, including the kidnapping of Ukrainian children and the use of heavy weaponry in civilian areas.

Although the ruling is largely symbolic, since Russia was expelled from the ECHR in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine, it carries significant moral and legal weight, especially for victims and their families.

Among those most impacted are the relatives of those lost on MH17.

The Boeing 777, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down on July 17, 2014, by a Russian-supplied Buk missile fired from separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine.

Of the 298 people on board, 196 were Dutch nationals.

For the victims’ families, this long-awaited decision marks a milestone in their decade-long search for justice.

Earlier this year, in May, the United Nations’ civil aviation agency also concluded that Russia bore responsibility for the disaster.

These findings add to mounting international legal and political pressure on Moscow.

While Wednesday’s verdict is not expected to result in immediate enforcement, given Russia’s non-recognition of the court since its expulsion, it sets a precedent.

The ECHR still has nearly 10,000 additional cases filed by individuals against Russia, and Ukraine itself has more legal complaints in the pipeline.

More judgments related to the conflict are expected in the future.

The ruling comes amid escalating violence on the ground.

Ukrainian authorities reported on Wednesday that Russian forces unleashed a record 728 drone attacks overnight.

In the eastern Donetsk region, eight civilians were killed: five in Rodynske and three in Kostiantynivka, according to Ukrainian officials.

In response, Ukraine launched a retaliatory drone strike on a beach in the Russian city of Kursk.

The attack reportedly killed three people, including a member of Russia’s National Guard (Rosgvardia), and left seven others injured.

Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions around the war continue to simmer.

In a notable policy reversal, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to send more defensive weapons to Ukraine, despite earlier suggesting a more restrained approach.

Trump has recently expressed increasing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, even accusing him of spreading misinformation about the war.

Speaking on Tuesday, Trump said he was considering imposing stronger sanctions against Moscow and criticized Putin’s rhetoric as “bullsh*t.”

His sharp tone marked a break from his previously more cautious stance toward the Kremlin.

The Kremlin dismissed Trump’s comments.

Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov attributed Trump’s remarks to his “harsh rhetorical style” and claimed that Russia remained unfazed.

Peskov also cast doubt on the authenticity of a CNN report that cited leaked audio recordings from 2024.

In the audio, Trump allegedly told donors that he had threatened to “bomb the sh*t out of Moscow” to deter an invasion of Ukraine.

“Whether this is real or not, we don’t know.

“There’s a lot of fake news,” Peskov responded.

Elsewhere in Europe, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared on Wednesday that diplomatic solutions to the conflict had been exhausted.

He pledged continued German support for Ukraine’s resistance against Russian aggression, underscoring that military assistance would remain a key component of Western efforts.

The Vatican also entered the diplomatic spotlight, announcing that Pope Leo would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday.

This marks their second in-person meeting since Leo’s election as pope in May.

Zelenskyy is in Italy to participate in a two-day international aid conference on Ukraine, set to take place from July 10 to 11.

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