Dutch prosecutors accuse Russia of trying to 'thwart' MH17 investigation

Judges attend the criminal trial against four suspects in the July 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, in Badhoevedorp, Netherlands March 10, 2020. REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw - RC2XGF99YX45

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch prosecutors accused Russia on Tuesday of trying to sabotage the investigation into the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 in Ukraine in 2014, saying this cast "a dark shadow" over the impending trial of four suspects in the crash.

Pre-trial hearings began in Amsterdam on Monday. Prosecutors say the defendants, three Russians and a Ukrainian, helped arrange the Russian missile system used to shoot down MH17, a civilian aircraft, killing all 298 people on board. Most of the passengers on board the flight were Dutch nationals.