U.N. to vote on MH17 tribunal; Russia says likely to block

Source: Reuters

The United Nations Security Council is due to vote on Wednesday on a bid for an international tribunal to prosecute those suspected of downing a passenger airliner last year in Ukraine, but Russia said on Friday it was likely to block the move.

Malaysia last month circulated a draft resolution to form the tribunal. Russia last week proposed a rival text that demands justice for the victims of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, but does not establish a tribunal.

Flight MH17 was shot down in July 2014 with 298 passengers on board, two-thirds of them Dutch. It crashed in Ukrainian territory held by Russian-backed separatists.

The vote on the proposal by Malaysia, Australia, the Netherlands and Ukraine to create an international tribunal is set for Wednesday afternoon, according to New Zealand, president of the U.N. Security Council for July.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/24/us-ukraine-crisis-mh17-un-idUSKCN0PY2AY20150724