Ukrainian Security Service seeks to reach the crash site of the Malaysian MH17 flight to fabricate at least some evidence which will allow Kiev to conceal the true causes of the catastrophe from the world, said Russia’s Defense ministry.
“One cannot but feel angry about yet another attempt by the Ukrainian security service chief to use absolutely groundless allegations in a bid to persuade the public of alleged Russian military involvement in the Boeing disaster in the skies over Ukraine,” Defense Ministry official representative, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said on Wednesday.
He referred to claims that were earlier made by Ukraine’s National Security Service Head Valentin Nalivaychenko speaking on Ukraine's Channel 5 about Kiev’s “full understanding” of the causes of the Malaysian Boeing's crash.
Nalivaychenko claimed that Ukrainian investigators and international experts now must visit the site of the crash only to search for “what is still missing” to back the Kiev’s version of events.
The fact that the Ukrainian security chief “fully” understands the details of the crash surprised Konashenkov, especially since the international commission’s investigation has not yet established them. However, the so-called Ukrainian investigators still have to find at least some evidence to somehow support their “full knowledge,” he added.
READ MORE:MH17 broke up in mid-air due to external damage - Dutch preliminary report
The attempt made by Kiev to look for the “missing evidence” to back up a version fabricated in advance confirms the well-known popular wisdom – “an uneasy conscience betrays itself,” said the General.
“I would like to recall that the commanders of the so-called ‘anti-terrorist’ operation in the southeast of Ukraine, including Nalivaychenko himself, did their utmost to prevent an international inquiry from visiting the site of the plane's crash,” Konashenkov stated.
The Ukrainian troops launched a massive offensive against militias near Torez – close to MH17 crash site – using multiple rocket launchers Uragan, Grad and Smerch to eliminate the existing material evidence, the General said.
READ MORE:Russia fears Kiev trying to destroy implicating MH17 evidence
He stressed that these military actions were taken contrary to Kiev's official statements about the suspension of hostilities and of course with Nalivaychenko in the know.
It seems that three months after the crash – upon completing the investigation of the Odessa tragedy and fire that killed over 40 people and the Maidan events – the “impartial” Ukrainian investigators found time to aid the international commission on the MH17 crash, said Konashenkov.
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“One can only wonder what prevented the Ukrainian leadership throughout this period to reasonably share their ‘understanding’ [of the crash causes] with the international investigative commission into the MH-17 accident?”
“Or at least to publicly answer questions about the circumstances of the last minutes before the crash of the Malaysian aircraft, which have been officially announced by the Russian Defense Ministry?”
READ MORE:10 more questions Russian military pose to Ukraine, US over MH17 crash
The spokesman of the Defense Ministry said he was confused that Kiev’s probe is being carried out by Ukrainian security service’s freshly-appointed investigators instead of experienced professionals, as opposed to international norms.
“Of course, only such ‘professionals’, as Ukraine’s National Security Service investigators can find – in the area plowed by Ukrainian Grads and Uragans – the evidence sought by Nalivaychenko, which, according to his plan, will help conceal from the International Commission the true causes of the tragedy,” the General concluded.
The Malaysia Airlines plane on route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with 298 people aboard crashed in Ukraine's Donetsk region on July 17. The majority of those on the plane – which was allegedly shot down – were citizens of the Netherlands.
READ MORE:Dutch preliminary MH17 crash report leaves too many questions – Russia
The preliminary report on the Malaysian jet crash made by the international team headed by Dutch experts in September only confirmed that the plane was shot down. Following the report, Russia’s UN envoy, Vitaly Churkin, said that with so many blank spots it “did little to advance our understanding of what happened.”