MH17 Shot Down By Russian-Made Missile

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine by a Russian-made Buk missile fired from rebel-held territory, the international investigation has concluded.

MH17, a Boeing 777 with 298 passengers and crew onboard, was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was hit by the ground-to-air missile. Most of the passengers were Dutch.

The MH17 Joint Investigation Team (JIT), led by the Netherlands, said the Buk missile launcher was taken across the border from Russia into a rebel-held area of Ukraine.

Investigators said that after the attack, the launcher was returned to Russian Federation territory. Russia has not been accused of involvement in the incident.

Relatives of those aboard MH17 were told of the investigation’s conclusions before the release of the preliminary findings.

The Dutch Safety Board also concluded last year that MH17 was hit by a Buk missile fired from eastern Ukraine.

Although the JIT can’t lay charges, the investigation may lead to future prosecutions or civil cases.

Other nations represented on the JIT are Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine.