Russia casting ‘dark shadow’ over MH17 plane tragedy case
ADUTCH prosecutor said there are “strong indications” Russia wants to undermine investigations into the downing of Malaysia Flight 17, and told judges at the trial of four suspects that many witnesses fear for their safety.
Prosecutor Thijs Berger made the statement on the second day of the trial of three Russians and a Ukrainian charged with the murder of all 298 passengers and crew killed when a missile shot down the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight on July 17, 2014.
Among the dead were 10 Britons. None of the suspects was present at yesterday’s hearing.
Prosecutors allege that a Russian Buk missile shot down the flight from an agricultural field in a region of eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Moscow rebel forces.
Russia denies any involvement in the downing.
Mr Berger told judges that there was evidence Russian intelligence agents attempted to hack into the computers of Malaysian and Dutch investigations into the downing of MH17.
“This information casts a dark shadow over these proceedings,” he said.
“There are strong indications that the Russian government is very keen to thwart this investigation and that it is not averse to deploying the Russian security services to this end.
“These Russian security services have been accused of multiple murders in recent years committed in various European countries.”
Another prosecutor, Dedy Woei-aTsoi, told judges that “every effort will have to be made to hear witnesses safely”.
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the trial, saying that Russia had not been involved in the international investigation.
Hearings this week are taking stock of progress in the international investigation. The examination of evidence, likely including a visit to the wreckage of the plane that was pieced together on a Dutch military base, could start later this year.