The findings of impartial and independent investigation, announced by the Joint Investigation Team on June 19, are of key importance because they provide definitive answer to the question of where the deadly weapon used to shoot the plane down came to the territory of Ukraine from, and who organized the operation. Main suspects have been named: they are active or former agents of the Russian special services and a citizen of Ukraine, who provided assistance to them. The investigation is yet to determine the role of the so-called “Crimean Prime Minister” Sergey Aksionov, some other persons who are high-ranking officials in the premeditation of the crime, as well as to name its direct perpetrators – crewmembers of the infamous BUK.

Ukraine would like to highlight the fact that the prosecution of suspects in the case of premeditation and committing of crimes related to the shooting down of MH17 is inextricably linked with Russia's responsibility as a state for violating a number of conventions, thus making these crimes possible. Among those, in particular, is the violation of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, which is the subject of court trial of Ukraine against Russia in the International Court of Justice.

The JIT established by the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine has been leading the investigation since the Russian Federation vetoed the draft UN Security Council Resolution, initiated by Malaysia in July 2015, calling for an international tribunal. In the course of the JIT’s work Russia was given numerous chances to assist the international investigation by providing its full cooperation, instead of obstruction and manipulation.  

We call on the Russian Federation to acknowledge its responsibility for supplying the arms and to cooperate with the investigation, as stipulated by UNSC Resolution 2166 of July 17, 2014.