The Kremlin on Thursday first responded to allegations from Western investigators that Moscow was directly involved in the downing of passenger jet MH17 in eastern Ukraine in 2014. The Kremlin was furious that the results were not accepted and the allegations were flatly rejected.
Accordingly, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, allegedly decided on the transfer of a Buk weapon system to the Donbass. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied this to the Russian news agency Interfax.
In July 2014, nearly 300 people died when the plane was shot down. “Russia has not participated in the investigation in any way. Therefore, we cannot accept the results, especially since no reasons were given for such statements,” said Peskow. However, according to investigators in the Netherlands, Russia refused to cooperate in the case.
Putin’s role
An international team of detectives announced on Wednesday that tapped telephone calls showed that Putin played an active role in the shooting. There are “strong indications” that Putin decided to give the pro-Russian separatists the Buk anti-aircraft missile, which later shot down the plane. However, the detectives have no direct evidence that Putin also agreed to the shooting – not even against other suspects.
Despite the lack of evidence, Putin enjoys immunity from office and cannot be prosecuted, investigators said. The evidence against other suspects was also insufficient. Therefore, the investigations would be temporarily suspended. “We have reached our limits.”
The first statements have already been made
The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was shot down in July 2014 by a Russian Buk anti-aircraft missile over a disputed territory. All 298 people on board were killed. Russia has always denied any involvement in the downing of the Boeing. Because most of the victims came from the Netherlands, the investigation is ongoing there.
Charges were brought against three Russians and one Ukrainian, all of whom held leading positions in the pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine at the time. Last year, three of them were found guilty in a trial and sentenced to life imprisonment. One man was acquitted. None of the defendants attended the trial.
Source: Krone
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