Nieuwegein (Netherlands) - The missile that downed flight MH17 killing all on board, over eastern Ukraine was transported from Russia, the Dutch inquiry into the MH17 tragedy has concluded, and some 100 people are still being investigated for playing "an active role" in the disaster.
The investigators claim they have "irrefutable evidence" that a BUK missile system was used to target the Malaysia Airlines plane out of the sky, investigators also suggested the missile was fired from "a field in a part of eastern Ukraine then controlled by pro-Russia separatists."
The findings of the Dutch-led mission did not however accuse Moscow of any direct involvement the incident, and to underline the point both the rebels and Russian sources issued fresh statements denying responsibility even putting the Russian Foreign Minister on the BBC World TV Hard Talk political programme, for a brutal grilling.
The new information does however appear, at face value, to support accusations from Ukraine and the West that pro-Russian rebels were to blame. But the Dutch investigators are still refusing to categorically state this.
The Boeing 777 was targeted by a proximity missile exploding near the cockpit, and breaking the aircraft into several pieces, it happened during a flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur over Ukraine, a conflict zone, where a war between separatists allegedly armed by Russia against the Kiev government started in April 2014. 298 people on board the plane including 196 Dutch citizens were killed. There were no survivors.
There have now been two official international investigations, but the question of who actually gave the order for the BUK missile to be fired, and who physically armed the trigger still remains unanswered.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said of the inquiry's initial findings: "We have solid proof of who is to blame for this dreadful crime and who bears full responsibility for the terrorist attack." But the Russians point out Ukraine is still to this day withholding military satellite and other circumstantial data from the Dutch investigators.
A "BUK missile from the 9M38-series, came from the territory of the Russian Federation," said Wilbert Paulissen, the head of the Dutch police investigation. The Russians however dispute the BUK missile type and suggest it was effectively 'old stock' and no longer a part of Russian inventory.
The investigators say the BUK reached Ukraine "where it was transferred onto a white Volvo truck and escorted by armed men in uniform." Afterwards the missile launcher system "was taken back to Russia," Paulissen commented.
Over two years, up to 200 investigators studied half a million photos and videos, over 200 witness statements and listened to 150,000 tapped telephone conversations.
They have also assessed five billion internet pages to reconstruct the route taken by the convoy which allegedly brought the missile system into eastern Ukraine.
The 700-kilogramme (1,500-pound) BUK, a complex radar-guided ground-to-air anti-aircraft weapon, was fired from a field in Pervomaiskyi which at the time "was in the hands of the Russian separatists," said Paulissen.
Moscow, currently under EU sanction for its alleged role in the Ukrainian conflict, has always denied being part of the MH17 disaster. It described the inquiry as "biased" and "politically motivated" saying it was "disappointed" by the results.
Ukrainian rebels also quickly rejected any conclusion that they were behind the disaster.
"The forces of the People's Republic of Donetsk could not have fired at the plane from a BUK system because we have no such sort of weapons," general Eduard Basurin of the self-proclaimed republic told French news agency AFP.
But Dutch prosecutors later released the names of two men heard speaking Russian in a wiretapped conversation, saying they wanted more information about them.
The criminal investigation has now been extended to 2018, but the investigation team could make "no promises" about when any suspects if detected would be brought to justice.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called the preliminary findings "an important step on the road to the ultimate goal: finding and prosecuting the perpetrators."
And Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said his country sought "firm action" so that those responsible "will be brought to justice."
JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581 Aerospace & Incident Management Expert, Journalist & Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020
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