MH17: Russian-backed terrorists tampering with evidence at crash site

PETALING JAYA: Russian-backed terrorists have not stopped their violent actions and are tampering with evidence at the MH17 crash site, Ukrainian Embassy officials here said in a press statement Tuesday.

"Despite the dreadful tragedy with Malaysia Airlines aircraft, terrorists have not stopped violent actions and continue their subversive activities and armed assaults on the Ukrainian military and residential areas.

"Moreover, according to our information and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) monitors on the ground, terrorists tamper with the evidence and contaminate the crash site," read the statement.

Ukraine Embassy officials assured that they did not take any active military action in the area around the crash site and also stopped any action in a 10-km zone around the path through which the OSCE experts are moving.

"We urge the international community to apply maximum political pressure on Russia in order to make it withdraw the terrorists from Ukraine, to allow the Ukrainian and international experts full and unimpeded access to the crash site and actively promote the comprehensive investigation into the tragedy," said the statement.

Ukraine Embassy officials also said that all evidence points to the Russia-backed terrorists for downing of MH17.

"We have evidence that the plane was downed by Russia-backed terrorists with a 'BUK-M' SAM (surface-to-air) system, which together with the crew had been supplied from Russia," read the statement.

"It is confirmed by intelligence, intercepted telephone conversations of the terrorists and satellite pictures.

The Malaysian Ukraine Embassy highlighted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had never used any anti-aircraft missiles since the start of the anti-terrorist operation and that no Ukrainian Air Forces jet fighters were airborne at the time of the MH17 crash.

Embassy officials said that it is a "core interest" of Ukraine to ensure "immediate, comprehensive, transparent and unbiased international full-scale investigation" into the tragedy.

Ukraine is currently working with other countries and experts from International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and other international structures including Eurocontrol.

"Ukrainian authorities render all possible assistance to the foreign investigation teams..

"We provided all necessary technical equipment and personnel to hold the investigation and forensic examinations, as well as all means to repatriate the victims' bodies to their respective countries," said the statement.

Meanwhile, The Royal Malaysian Police special investigations team has arrived at the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash site in Donetsk, Ukraine, Monday but were prevented from starting their search due to fighting nearby.

The Malaysian team will join an international team of security forces, including from the Netherlands and Australia, to assist in the investigation into the MH17 disaster of July 17.

The Boeing 777 aircraft was carrying 298 people - 283 passengers and 15 crewmembers - when it was believed to have been shot down.

A total of 43 individuals were Malaysians.