Inquiry reveals
NIEUWEGEIN, Netherlands: The
Missile that
downed Flight
MH17 over eastern Ukraine was transported
from Russia, a criminal inquiry revealed on Wednesday, adding that more than 100 people were under investigation for the 2014 disaster.
The investigators also confirmed that the
Missile which slammed into the Malaysia Airlines plane was fired
from a field in a part of eastern Ukraine under the control of pro-Russia separatists at the time.
But the Dutch-led investigation did **t directly accuse Moscow of supplying the BUK
Missile and its transporter system -- and the Russian government has repeatedly denied any involvement.
The Malaysia Airlines passenger jet was blown
from the skies in July 2014 during a flight
from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, killing all 298 people on board including 196 Dutch citizens.
"Based on the criminal investigation, we have concluded that flight MH17... was
downed by a BUK
Missile of the ****** 9M38, that came
from the territory of the Russian Federation," said Wilbert Paulissen, the head of the Dutch police investigation.
Afterwards the
Missile launcher system "was taken back to Russia," he added. Using photos, videos, witness statements and telephone conversations, the investigators have retraced the route taken by the convoy
which brought the
Missile system into eastern Ukraine.
But to the frustration of relatives, the investigators did **t name any suspects at their briefing in the central town of Nieuwegein, near Utrecht.
The BUK was fired
from a field in Pervomaiskyi
which at the time "was in the hands of the Russian separatists," said Paulissen.
The joint investigation "has identified approximately 100 people" believed to have had an "active role" in the transporting of the
Missile system used to bring down the routine flight, chief investigator Fred Westerbeke said.
The investigation has been headed by the Dutch prosecution service, but includes teams
from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine. They first met relatives of the victims on Wednesday to discuss the results.
"What is clear is that the BUK
Missile system came
from Russia to Ukraine, was fired and taken back to Russia. That clearly suggest the involvement of the Russian Federation," Piet Ploeg, who lost three relatives in the disaster, told AFP.
But so far ** one has been charged in the investigations, and relatives of the victims are anxious for justice.
"Apart
from wanting to k**w exactly what ****** was used and where it was fired from, we also want an answer as to where we go
from here," said Evert van Zijtveld, chairman of the foundation that supports families of
MH17 victims.
"We want to see the perpetrators caught and put on trial," he told AFP. Zijtveld lost his 18-year-old son Robert-Jan and daughter Frederique, 19, in the tragedy.
On Monday,
Russia again sought to deflect the blame for the
MH17 disaster, releasing what it said were radar images showing that **
Missile fired
from rebel-held territory in the east could have hit the plane.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted Wednesday that
Russia had provided "exhaustive information"
which investigators should take into account.
"The data is unequivocal and on that data, there is ** missile. Therefore if there was a
Missile it could have been launched only
from a different territory," he said.
Ukraine and the West insist pro-Russian rebels blew the jet out of the sky with a Russian-made
Missile system likely supplied by Moscow.
The tragedy saw the European Union slap tougher sanctions on
Russia -- blamed by the West for being behind the rebellion. The punitive measures remain in place as the fighting drags on.
But
Russia and the rebels have consistently denied any role in downing the plane, and have instead blamed Ukrainian government forces.
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