The European Court of Human Rights delivered damning judgments Wednesday against Russia in four cases brought by Kyiv and the Netherlands accusing Moscow of atrocities in Ukraine dating back more than a decade.

Judges ruled that Russia was responsible for widespread violations of international law — from shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH 17 in 2014, to the murder, torture, rape, destruction of civilian infrastructure and kidnapping of Ukrainian children after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of 2022.

Families of the victims of the MH17 disaster see the decision as an important milestone in their 11-year quest for justice. The Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down on July 17, 2014, using a Russian-made Buk missile fired from territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by separatist rebels loyal to Moscow. All 298 passengers and crew were killed, including 196 Dutch citizens

The judges found that Russia’s refusal to acknowledge its involvement in the Flight MH17 disaster also violated international law. Russia’s failure to properly investigate “significantly aggravated the suffering” of the relatives and friends of the dead.

In May, the UN’s aviation agency found Russia responsible for the disaster. The separatist conflict that broke out in eastern Ukraine in 2014 killed about 14,000 people before Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.

The ECHR is an important part of the Council of Europe, which is the continent’s foremost human rights institution. The court’s governing body expelled Moscow in 2022 in response to the all-out invasion.

However, the court can still deal with cases against Russia dating from before its expulsion and, legally, the country is still obliged to participate in the proceedings.

The court will rule on financial compensation at a later date but Russia’s departure leaves little hope that damages will ever be collected.

“Shoot in the leg”: Kenya’s president William Ruto ordered police forces on Wednesday to curb vandalism from protesters by incapacitating anyone trying to damage businesses.

The move comes as the situation in the country has been worsening, with anti-government protests rocking the capital and neighbouring areas.

At least 31 people were killed on Monday in the worst death toll of the protests so far, according to the country’s rights watchdog.

Kenyan police meanwhile said that 11 people died. More than 500 were reportedly arrested during the Saba Saba protests on Monday, which marked the 35th anniversary of Kenya’s transition to multi-party democracy.

Several acts of vandalism and destroyed businesses were reported in Nairobi in the aftermath of the protests.

For president Ruto, speaking at the opening of a police station on Wednesday, the situation is “not acceptable”.

The Kenyan president added that he would use “whatever means necessary” to stabilise the country.

A complaint has been filed in Brussels against nine family members of Félix Tshisekedi, the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to La Libre on Tuesday.

The accused, who are Belgian nationals, face allegations of stealing from mines located in the provinces of Lualaba and Upper Katanga in the southern part of the country.

Those named in the complaint include Tshisekedi’s sister-in-law, sons, brothers, cousins, and even the first lady of the country.

They are referred to in the complaint as “accomplices to acts of corruption and other criminal activities.”

The complaint was presented to federal prosecutor Ann Fransen by lawyers Bernard and Brieuc Maingain on behalf of several NGOs from Katanga and four former directors of Gécamines, the Congolese state-owned mining company.

The lawyers clarify that the nine individuals mentioned are not the only ones they accuse of theft.

However, this complaint is focused solely on those with Belgian nationality who can be prosecuted in our legal system.

“Further charges may soon be filed in other countries where the looters of our resources are from,” one of the prosecutors remarked.