Moscow Calls On MH17 Crash Investigators To Focus On Impartial Analysis Of Available Data

Moscow Calls on MH17 Crash Investigators to Focus on Impartial Analysis of Available Data

Russia is calling on the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the 2014 crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in the east of Ukraine to focus on impartial analysis of all the available data in order to establish the real reasons behind the catastrophe, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th July, 2019) Russia is calling on the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the 2014 crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in the east of Ukraine to focus on impartial analysis of all the available data in order to establish the real reasons behind the catastrophe, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday, on the fifth anniversary of the crash.

The airplane, which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, crashed near the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014. All 298 people on board died. The Dutch-led JIT announced in June the Names of four people, three Russians and one Ukrainian, suspected of being involved in the incident. Russia refuted the accusations.

"We are calling on the JIT to focus on its main goal, on impartial analysis of all the available data in order to establish the true reasons of the incident and finding out who is really behind the tragedy. Given the manner that the investigation has been and continues to be conducted in, we cannot qualify it as impartial and independent," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The quality of JIT's "proofs" shows that it aims at slanting facts in order to put the blame on Russia, the ministry suggested.

ALthough Russia has been banned from investigation, it has been cooperating with the Netherlands, Dutch Safety Board and the JIT from the day of the tragedy, providing all the possible data, the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed, accusing the Netherlands and the JIT of ignoring the unique information provided by Russia.

"However, the Russian side remains committed to cooperate, in spite of facing prejudice. We believe that dialogue and cooperation are the only way to the truth," the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized.