Flight MH17: 'Russia Legally Responsible' Say Netherlands and Australia

Malaysia Airlines's Boeing Triple-7. (Picture: Darren Koch).

The Netherlands and Australia are holding Russia legally responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine on July 17 2014.

This comes a day after international investigators announced the missile that brought down the passenger jet was a Buk missile which came from a Russia-based military unit. 

Wilbert Paulissen, of the Dutch National Police, said the missile was from the Russian military's 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade based in the Russian city of Kursk.

Dutch Foreign Minister, Stef Blok, said "the government is now taking the next step by formally holding Russia accountable".

He said the Netherlands and Australia have "asked Russia to enter into talks aimed at finding a solution that would do justice to the tremendous suffering and damage caused by the downing of MH17".

The passenger jet was heading from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, when it was blown out of the sky over eastern Ukraine on July 17 2014.

All 298 passengers and crew were killed.

Russia has always denied involvement in the downing of the jet.