Four charged over shooting down of MH17 over Ukraine

International investigators have charged three Russians and a Ukrainian with murder over the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in 2014. All 298 people aboard the passenger plane died, including 27 Australians.

Wilbert Paulissen of the Joint Investigation Team speaking on the ongoing investigation of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash in 2014 Source: AAP

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17  was travelling between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur in July 2014 when it was shot down as it flew over conflict-hit Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine were at odds over territory along their shared border.

All 298 people aboard died and their supporters have been pursuing justice ever since, amid suspicions the plane had been attacked by Russian-backed separatists.

Now, international arrest warrants have been issued for four suspects - three Russians and one Ukrainian.

Each suspect faces two criminal charges: firstly "crashing flight MH17, resulting in the death of all passengers,"; and secondly, "the murder of the 298 occupants of flight MH17".

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