WASHINGTON, DC—Representative Eliot L. Engel, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement on the anniversary of the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 by Russian-led forces: “A year ago, 298 innocent civilians on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 were blown out of a sunny European sky by Russian-led forces operating illegally in eastern Ukraine. Many hoped then that the scale of this tragedy would bring an end to this unjust and unnecessary war in Europe. Sadly, we were wrong. “Russia, under the rule of Vladimir Putin, has ignored and obstructed calls to hold accountable those who recklessly pulled the trigger on Flight 17. Russia's propaganda machine has pointed the finger at Ukraine and the United States, and has promoted other absurd conspiracy theories in an effort to obscure the Kremlin's clear responsibility for this crime. And Russian forces and proxies continue to trample international law and wreak more violence upon a peaceful neighbor. “As we mark this tragic anniversary, we're reminded of the ugly truth about what happened to Flight 17 and what continues to happen in Ukraine. All that remains is for justice to be served and peace restored.”