Media

Russian newspaper prints front-page MH17 apology

Russia’s left-leaning Novaya Gazeta newspaper has published a highly provocative apology — written in Dutch and splashed across its front page Friday.

The paper has deviated from the official line coming out of the Kremlin, by attributing the source of the attack on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 at the hands of the Russian separatists.

The front page of Novaya Gazeta for July 25 reads “Forgive Us, Netherlands” in Dutch.Getty Images

“Forgive Us, Netherlands’’ was the bold headline above a somber photograph of the convoy of hearses that transported the first of the bodies across the Netherlands from Eindhoven to Hilversum for forensic analysis.

The paper — which was set up by former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbechev from money he received as part of receiving the Nobel Peace Prize — is highly regarded for its critical coverage of Russian politics.

But the investigations have come at a heavy price, with four of its journalists murdered since 2001.