MH17 downed by Buk from Kursk-based Russian antiaircraft brigade – Joint Investigative Team


Photo REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

The missile that shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine in 2014 originated from Russia, the Joint Investigation Team says.

The experts have presented the results of the MH investigation at the press conference in Utrecht, Netherlands, on May, 24. According to them, the Buk missile that shot down the plane came from Russia’s 53rd Antiaircraft Missile Brigade.

MH17 was downed over the separatist-controlled zone in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board. Russia has repeatedly denied its involvement in the tragedy.

The Joint Investigation Team, drawn from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine, has been gathering evidence, including social media videos and photos of the Buk’s route from Kursk region, where the brigade above was deployed. It was taken to Ukraine together with 50 military vehicles.

With the assistance of Eurojust agency, a meeting of representatives of Interpol, Europol, Ukraine and 11 countries whose citizens were among the victims of the crash was held in 2016 to speed up the investigation. Following the meeting, the Joint Investigation Team was formed. The group is led by the Prosecutor’s Office of the Netherlands.

the Joint Investigation Team and the Netherlands police will continue gathering evidence and facts about people who are directly or indirectly responsible for launching missiles at the civilian plane.

In 2017, the Bellingcat investigative group gave the name of a Russian general who allegedly took part in transporting the Buk to the Ukrainian territory occupied by Russian-backed militants. The Bellingcat experts also hold the view that the Buk came from Russia’s Kursk region.

belsat.eu

TWITTER