Lawyer: Coronavirus restrictions hamper MH17 defense case

SCHIPHOL, Netherlands (AP) — A defense lawyer for one of the suspects in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine nearly six years ago says that coronavirus restrictions have seriously hampered efforts to prepare their case. A Dutch lawyer representing Russian suspect Oleg Pulatov said Monday that flight bans and other restrictions linked to the coronavirus “have had a major impact” on attempts to build a defense case. That includes preventing lawyers from flying to Russia to interview their client. The lawyer spoke as the trial resumed for three Russians and a Ukrainian charged with involvement in shooting downthe Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board.