The Netherlands Considered Troop Deployment in Light of MH17 Crash, Officials Reveal

Dutch officials have acknowledged considering the possibility of military intervention into the MH17 crash zone following the 2014 downing of the Malaysian Boeing over Donetsk. This revelation came to light in a recent Nieuwsuur program aired by NOS, marking the upcoming 10th anniversary of the tragedy, as reported by the European Truth.

“In 2014, we did indeed consider this option,” said Dick Schoof, who was the national coordinator for counterterrorism and security at the time and later became Prime Minister. “It was something we planned for, but it was always seen as a last resort,” he added. “Ultimately, our goal was to restore peace. So, any decision would have been carefully weighed, not rushed emotionally to deploy soldiers.”

Tom Middendorp, former Chief of Defense Staff of the Netherlands, also confirmed the discussions about military intervention. “It was a real possibility,” he stated. “Australian special forces came and trained with our troops in preparation. The Dutch Ministry Council was prepared to take responsibility if necessary.”

The Hague District Court, on November 17, 2022, convicted Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinsky, and Leonid Kharchenko in absentia to life imprisonment for their roles in the downing of the MH17 airliner over Donetsk, along with ordering their arrest. The court ruled they must compensate the victims' families with over €16 million. The Hague court also determined that Russia controlled the “DNR” at the time of the airliner’s downing.