Russia

‘Strong Indications’ Putin Approved Supplying MH17 Missile, Prosecutors Say

AWFUL

Nearly 300 people were killed when the passenger plane was attacked in 2014.

Local workers transport a piece of wreckage from Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 at the site of the plane crash near the village of Hrabove in Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Nov. 20, 2014.
Antonio Bronic/Reuters

There are “strong indications” that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally signed off on supplying a missile that was used to shoot down MH17 over Ukraine in 2014, a team of international investigators said Wednesday. Some 298 people were killed when the passenger jet was blasted out of the sky by Moscow-backed separatists. In a statement, the Joint Investigation Team added: “There is concrete information that the separatists’ request was presented to the president, and that this request was granted.” However, there is no suggestion that Putin ordered the aircraft to be shot down, and the Russian president is immune from prosecution “in his position of Head of State.” Two Russians and a Ukrainian were found guilty of murder in absentia in November for their role in attacking the plane.

Read it at BBC