MH17 relatives protest over lack of Russian action with 298 empty chairs

Families of people killed when a missile shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 have staged a silent protest in the Netherlands against Russia’s lack of co-operation in the investigation.

They set out 298 white chairs outside the Russian embassy in The Hague.

Each chair represented one of the victims who died when a Buk missile fired from territory held by separatist rebels shot down the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight on July 17 2014, killing everybody on board.

Sunday’s protest came on the eve of the start of the Dutch trial of three Russians and a Ukrainian charged with murder for their alleged roles in the missile strike.

Russia has denied any involvement.