Malaysia: No conclusive evidence against Russia in MH17 downing

Debris of MH17 aircraft (Source: AFP)

Hanoi (VNA) – Malaysian Minister of Transport Anthony Loke has declared that there is no conclusive evidence to confirm that Russia was responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine in 2014, Channel News Asia reported on May 31.

Loke said there is no conclusive evidence to point at Russia under the Joint Investigative Team (JIT) evidence, adding that diplomatic relations need to be taken into consideration and any further actions will be based on conclusive evidence.

On May 24, the JIT comprising representatives from the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, Belgium and Ukraine concluded that the Buk Telar with which Flight MH17 was shot down is from the 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade stationed in Kursk, Russia.

Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 Boeing 777 crashed on July 17, 2014, near Donetsk en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 283 passengers and 15 crew onboard were killed in the crash. They were citizens from 10 countries, mostly the Netherlands.

Ukraine authorities and western countries accused pro-Russia force in eastern Ukraine of staying behind the downing. Meanwhile, Russia and leaders of pro-Russia force in eastern Ukraine affirmed that the aircraft was hit by missile fired from a territory controlled by the Ukraine government’s army.

Russia has rejected the JIT's accusation, saying that no such weapon had ever crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border.-VNA