Moscow blames Ukraine for downing the plane

Moscow has switched from being silent about the Malaysian airplane crash to making accusation and throwing the blame on the Ukrainian military.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, their radars had detected a Ukrainian Air Force plane that was flying within a five kilometer range of the passenger plane, prior to its crash.

Russian officials also denied any claims made regarding the military supplying pro-Russian fighters in Ukraine with anti-aircraft missile systems.

‘I would like to emphasize that the Russian Federation did not give local fighters the defense rocket system BUK or any other type of arms or military equipment,’ said Andrei Kartopolov from the Russian Defense Ministry.

Alongside Ukraine, the US and other countries have joined in accusing Russia of being an active complicit in downing the Malaysian airplane and, ultimately, killing 298 innocent people.

President Putin, on the other hand, renewed his rejection of such declarations and stressed out that the plane tragedy should not be politicized.