A Dutch-led team of international investigators has released its findings in the criminal probe on the MH17 crash, concluding the plane was shot down by rebels in eastern Ukraine by a Buk missile system brought from Russia. Moscow has repeatedly denied supplying weapons to the rebels.
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) consists of investigators and experts from the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, Malaysia and Ukraine, and was tasked with determining who was responsible for the incident.
The Dutch-led Joint Investigative Team says that a technical problem and an “attack within the aircraft,” such as a terrorist assault, can be ruled out.
No other aircraft could have shot down the plane either, the JIT says, citing various radar data, including that provided by Russia.
The JIT presented an audio recording that allegedly proves that rebel forces voiced a need for a Buk missile system, and subsequently received one.
The investigators claim that a Buk missile system was brought from Russia and was returned to the country after the incident.
The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) consists of investigators and experts from the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, Malaysia and Ukraine, and was tasked with determining who was responsible for the incident.
The Dutch-led Joint Investigative Team says that a technical problem and an “attack within the aircraft,” such as a terrorist assault, can be ruled out.
No other aircraft could have shot down the plane either, the JIT says, citing various radar data, including that provided by Russia.
The JIT presented an audio recording that allegedly proves that rebel forces voiced a need for a Buk missile system, and subsequently received one.
The investigators claim that a Buk missile system was brought from Russia and was returned to the country after the incident.
The JIT says that MH17 was shot down by a 9M38 missile, as stated by the Dutch Safety Board report last year.
According to the JIT, the team investigated the claims by Russia that the plane was shot down from Zaroschenske, held by Ukrainian forces. Citing an alleged audio interception of the rebels, the JIT concluded that the missile did not come from that territory.
International investigators instead say that flight MH17 was shot down from the village of Pervomayskoye, held by rebel forces at the time of the incident.
Ukraine and its foreign sponsors repeatedly accused Russia of arming and supporting the rebels, an accusation that Moscow denies.
Almost immediately after MH17 was downed, Western media and some governments blamed Russia, claiming Moscow had either provided the Buk system to the rebels or sent its regular troops to take down Ukrainian warplanes on their behalf.
Russia denied the accusations on numerous occasions. It also challenged Kiev’s claims that Ukraine had neither warplanes nor Buk systems in the area by producing public satellite and radar images showing evidence to the contrary.
Source: rt.com
