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Russian defense ministry doubts objectivity of MH17 crash investigators' report

The ministry stresses Russian air defense systems have never crossed the Ukrainian border

MOSCOW, September 28 /TASS/. The objectivity of conclusions made by an international group for investigating the MH17 Boeing crash is doubtful, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesperson Major-General Igor Konashenkov said.

"We carefully studied today’s statements made by the Dutch Investigation Team, which is investigating the Boeing MH17 crash over Ukraine. The serious conclusions, which have been announced today, require serious arguments and moreover facts," the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said.

"The data, which the investigation group presented at a briefing on Wednesday, had been taken from two main sources: the Internet and Ukraine’s security services. Therefore, the objectivity of that data and consequently the conclusions made on its basis cannot but be doubtful," Konashenkov stressed.

"For our part, we want a maximum objective investigation, which will help identifying persons who are really responsible for the July 17, 2014 crash. We will continue rendering all the necessary assistance to the investigation," he added.

Russian air defense systems never crossed Ukrainian border

According to Konashenkov, no Russian air defense systems have ever crossed the Ukrainian border.

"No Russian air defense systems, including Buk, have ever crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border. We made a firm statement to that effect immediately after the July 17, 2014 disaster," he said.

Radar data on MH17 flight

 Deputy Chief Designer of the Utyos-T radar station of the Lianozovo Electromechanical Plant Viktor Meshcheryakov said on Wednesday that the radar data on the Ukrainian air space at the time of the MH17 crash made public by Russia recently will be transferred to the Dutch side soon.

"The data will be transferred soon. We’re not dealing with this. They have been transferred to the competent bodies. We are using the copies of these records in this demonstration," he said.

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing-777 passenger airliner on a flight from the Dutch city of Amsterdam to the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur crashed in the area of hostilities between local militias and Ukrainian governmental troops in east Ukraine’s Donetsk region in July last year. All 298 people aboard the airliner died in the air crash.

Most of the air crash’s victims were Dutch nationals.