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BOEING 777 CRASH IN DONBASS

Russia hands over to EU MH-17-related data from its defence ministry

“We handed these date on Tuesday as soon as we had written reports in Russia and English,” Russian Permanent Representative at the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said

BRUSSELS, July 23, 6:29 /ITAR-TASS/. Russia handed over to the European Union on Tuesday all data from its defence ministry related to the crash of a Malaysian passenger airliner in eastern Ukraine, Russian Permanent Representative at the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said on Wednesday.

“We handed these date on Tuesday as soon as we had written reports in Russia and English,” he told Russian journalists. “We sent them to all those concerned.” However, according to Chizhov, “there is no response” from the European Union so far.

“Reaction came only from the United States and was quite predictable - they said they doubted Russian data,” he said. “They do have the right to that, but id they have any doubts they should have produced some evidence and they have not done this as of yet saying it was intelligence information that can discredit their sources, and so on.”

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing-777 airliner (flight MH17) en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed in the area of combat operations between local militias and Ukrainian governmental troops in east Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Thursday, July 17. All 298 people aboard the plane, including 193 Dutch nationals, died in the crash.

The Russian diplomat noted that the United States was once in the epicenter of a similar scandal, when its Vincennes warship downed an Iranian airliner by a guided missile in 1988. Chizhov recalled the then U.S. President, George Bush Sr., saying after the incident, “I will never apologize for the United States - I don't care what the facts are.

About investigation

Russia sincerely hopes investigation of the Malaysian passenger plane crash in Ukraine will be really unbiased, independent and international, or in keeping with the United Nations Security Council’s resolution, Chizhov said on Wednesday.

He warned European politicians against hasty conclusions about the causes of the crash. “I am surprised at statements by some European representatives,” Chizhov told Russian journalists. “Even Mr. Barroso from Brazil [where he is currently on a visit] said he was confident the plane had been shot down by, as he put it, “separatists.” Attempt to anticipate the results of the investigation can be considered only as pressure on investigators to make them adjust it to the conclusions voiced in advance. I hope we won’t see it.

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