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MH17 probe results to be invalid without Russia’s data — experts

"If the commission investigating the crash ignores in its report materials of the expert study of Russia’s Almaz-Antei concern, we can be certain the results will be unreliable," a Russian expert says

MOSCOW, October 12. /TASS/. Results of the Dutch-coordinated investigation into the MH17 crash in eastern Ukraine last year will be invalid without information provided by the Russian side, a Russian expert said on Monday.

"If the commission investigating the Malaysian MH17 crash in the Netherlands ignores in its report materials of the expert study of [Russia’s] Almaz-Antei concern, we can be certain the results of the investigation will be unreliable, based on unverified information and, probably, politically motivated in a bid to spare those responsible for this catastrophe from responsibility," Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of the National Defense Journal, told TASS, commenting on the recent statement by deputy head of Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency Oleg Storchevoy, who said in an interview with Malaysia’s New Straits Times that the Netherland was ignoring any related information from Russia.

He said in terms of mathematical and engineering modelling, Almaz-Antei had given a comprehensive picture of the crash, established an area from where the missile had been launched. Back then, he said, this area was controlled by the Ukrainian army.

"The fact that the investigation is being conducted in the Netherlands non-transparently, with information from Russian experts taken no notice of may indicate the existence of a plan to take Ukraine as a party responsible for the tragedy away from responsibility, which its Western sponsors are so much interested in," he said.

If it is established that Kiev is to blame for the air crash, it will "reduce all the Unites States’ efforts to support the [Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko regime to zero," Korotchenko said. "The results of the state coup would be disowned and the Ukrainian president would have to step down and could probably be brought to international trial."

The Boeing 777-200 of the Malaysia Airlines en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed on July 17 in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk Region, some 60 km (over 37 miles) from the Russian border, in the zone of combat operations between the Donetsk self-defense forces and the Ukrainian army. All the passengers and crewmembers onboard the aircraft — 298 people — died. Most of the passengers — 196 people — were Dutch citizens.