By P. Prem Kumar
KUALA LUMPUR
Malaysia is convinced Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine after being shot down with a ground-to-air missile, a government minister said Saturday, dismissing claims on social media that it may have been downed by a fighter jet.
Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that intelligence and evidence gathered from the fragments of the plane clearly indicated that it had been shot down by missiles launched from the ground.
"It is not likely that the bullets were used from air to air, but from surface to air,” he added.
"Whether these were owned by Ukraine or the rebels from Russia [is still unknown] but the bullets must have come from a BUK system and this matter cannot be denied by Europe, NATO or Russia."
It is more than two weeks since the passenger jet came down after appearing to have been hit by a missile, killing all 298 people on board. Since then deadly clashes between Ukrainian government troops and pro-Russian rebels have continued nearby the 20 sq km site, hindering international attempts to investigate exactly what happened.
Ukraine has said it has suspended offensive operations in the region to help investigators reach the site, while separatists have accused Kiev of blocking access by fighting in the area.
During the peak of finger-pointing, Russia had released a video recording allegedly showing that a Sukhoi Su-25 Ukrainian fighter jet was detected flying three to five kilometers from the Boeing 777-200 before the tragedy – claims denied by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
However, a foreign military expert currently based at the crash site said this week that fragments, which were burnt and full of small and large gaps at the mid portion, suggested the aircraft had been shot with a ground-to-air missile.
Minister Hishammuddin advised all Internet users not to be easily influenced by speculation and rumors spread via media social, as it creates instability and discomfort for the families of the passengers.
www.aa.com.tr/en
