Sputnik is live from Badhoevedorp in the Netherlands, where the main phase of the MH17 trial continues in the Schiphol Judicial Complex (JCS). On 7 June, opening statements in the trial were made, thus concluding procedural hearings that started in March 2020.
The judge has started reading out the evidence in the trial, saying that there was evidence the airplane was hit by an outside explosion caused by a Buk missile. In addition, the judge stated during the hearing that 296 passengers, whose bodies and remains were found at the crash site, were identified, while the remains of the two others who were aboard the plane were never recovered.
The MH17 court is trying Russians Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinsky, and Oleg Pulatov, as well as Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko, for their actions, which, according to Joint Investigative Team (JIT), led to the downing of the ill-fated Boeing. Out of the four defendants, only Pulatov is represented by lawyers in the court.
Follow Sputnik's live feed to find out more!
