Almost seven years after the downing of passenger flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, the main proceedings against four alleged perpetrators are opening today in the Netherlands.

First of all, there will be a general discussion of the case in the specially secured justice building at Amsterdam Airport, according to the ORF. The content of the investigation against the defendants - three Russians and one Ukrainian - should be clarified by Thursday.

According to the public prosecutor's office, the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was shot down by pro-Russian rebels with a Russian anti-aircraft missile of the type BUK on July 17, 2014 over the embattled eastern Ukraine. All 298 passengers on board were killed. The plane was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.

Defendants not present

None of the defendants are present at the trial. Only the Russian Oleg Pulatov, who is said to have played a leading role in the secret service of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic, can be represented in court by lawyers. He had let it be known that he was not responsible.