MH17 probe releases

New phone calls linking suspects to top Russians

A Dutch-led probe into the shooting-down of flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014 released new intercepted phone calls on Thursday between high-ranking Russian officials and suspects facing trial over the crash. Investigators said they were making a “new witness appeal” based on “recorded telephone calls between the leaders of the DPR (Donetsk People’s Republic, a separatist group) and high-ranking Russian officials.” “Ties between Russian officials and DPR leaders appear to have been much closer” than originally believed, Andy Kraag, the head of Dutch police’s Criminal Investigations Division, said in a video statement. Investigators said in June that they were going to put three Russian nationals and one Ukrainian on trial in the Netherlands in March 2020 over the downing of the Malaysia Airlines jet, although they will likely be tried in absentia.

 

MH17 probe releases

New phone calls linking suspects to top Russians

A Dutch-led probe into the shooting-down of flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014 released new intercepted phone calls on Thursday between high-ranking Russian officials and suspects facing trial over the crash. Investigators said they were making a new witness appeal based on recorded telephone calls between the leaders of the DPR (Donetsk Peoples Republic, a separatist group) and high-ranking Russian officials. Ties between Russian officials and DPR leaders appear to have been much closer than originally believed, Andy Kraag, the head of Dutch polices Criminal Investigations Division, said in a video statement. Investigators said in June that they were going to put three Russian nationals and one Ukrainian on trial in the Netherlands in March 2020 over the downing of the Malaysia Airlines jet, although they will likely be tried in absentia.