Dutch prosecutors on Wednesday demanded life sentences for three Russians and a Ukrainian charged with murder over the shooting down of a passenger jet over Ukraine in 2014.

They said the defendants, who are all at large, helped supply a missile system that Russian-backed separatists used to fire a rocket at Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. All 298 people on board were killed. Prosecutor Manon Ridderbeks demanded life terms for all four: Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov and Leonid Kharchenko.

Most of the victims were Dutch nationals. Outside the courtroom Piet Ploeg, who lost his brother, nephew and sister-in-law in the crash, said he had waited a long time to hear the prosecution makes its recommendation.