The EU said Thursday it regretted as a "setback" a Russian veto of a UN resolution for a tribunal to prosecute those responsible for downing Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine last year.

"We very much regret that the UN Security Council last night did not adopt  due to the veto of Russia the resolution on the downing of MH17," European  Commission spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic told reporters.

"This resolution would have established a binding and credible mechanism for prosecuting those responsible for this terrible tragedy," Kocijancic said.

"Regardless of this setback, the work must continue so that those who are either directly or indirectly responsible for the downing of MH17 are indeed held accountable," said the spokeswoman for the Commission, the executive of the 28-nation EU.

Eleven of the 15 members of the Security Council voted late Wednesday in favor of the resolution to set up a special tribunal to try those responsible for the downing of the Malaysian airliner on July 17, 2014 that killed all 298 people aboard.

Russia exercised its veto over the resolution which was drafted by Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine.

Angola, China and Venezuela abstained.

The resolution was supported by Britain, France and the US who suspect pro-Russian separatist rebels of shooting down the Boeing 777 with a BUK surface-to-air missile supplied by Russia.

Moscow denies involvement and blames the Ukrainian military. (AFP)