KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 — Four years after the Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down in June 2014, the Russian military has claimed that the serial number of the missile which struck the aircraft showed it was owned by Ukraine.
Pro-Russia news portal RT.com reported the missile was manufactured in 1986, after an international team of investigators led by the Netherlands discovered two serial numbers on the fragments of a rocket, marking the projectile's engine and nozzle.
Russian General Nikolay Parshin said the number 8868720 was traced to a missile manufactured at a military plant in Dolgoprudny, near Moscow.
It was subsequently shipped to a military unit numbered 20152 in what is now Ukraine in December 29, 1986.
He said Unit 20152 is now the Ukranian Armed Forces' 223rd Anti-Aircraft Defense Regiment, which took part in the crackdown on rebels in Eastern Ukraine in June 2014.
Although the Russian military admitted they lack evidence to disprove the possibility of the missile being captured by rebels from the Ukrainian army, they also noted Ukrainian officials have publicly denied such an incident.
Moscow believes the investigation by the Netherlands-led joint team is biased, having failed to obtain all necessary evidence from Ukraine and relying on what it claims are “questionable sources” while ignoring Russian-provided evidence.
The Joint Investigation Team headed by the Dutch Ministry of Justice, had indicated the plane may have been downed by pro-Russian rebels fighting against the Ukrainian government, which Moscow has denied.
On the tragedy’s fourth anniversary in July, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Malaysia will continue to pursue justice for the victims of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and their families.
MH17 was shot down on July 17, 2014, while flying over eastern Ukraine as it was heading from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 283 passengers and 15 crew members were killed.
Source from MSN News
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