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Ukraine strongly denies its planes were airborne at time of crash

KUALA LUMPUR: Following reports implicating a Ukraine jet fighter instead of shooting down Flight MH17 out of the skies, the Ukraine has strongly denied that none of their planes were airborne at the time of crash.

The Ukrainians were responding to web reports precipitated by a Russian Defence Ministry claim that their air traffic control had recorded flight movements by the Ukrainian Air Force at MH17’s flight path moments before the shoot down.

The Ukrainians also dismissed the Russians’ proposal for an immediate, comprehensive, transparent and unbiased international investigation into the tragedy by establishing a state commission that includes experts from ICAO and Eurocontrol.

In a statement issued by Ukraine, the country reiterated that MH17 was downed by Russia-backed terrorists firing a BUK-M SAM system missile at MH17.

“We have all evidence that the plane was shot down by a crew supplied by Russia,” the statement said. “This is confirmed by intelligence, intercepted telephone conversations of the terrorist and satellite pictures.”

The statement insisted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces:

* never used any anti-aircraft missiles since the Anti-Terrorist operations (ATO) started in early April;

* had not taken active military action in the area around the crash site; and,

* stopped military action in a 10km zone around the path through which the Organization for Security and Cooperation experts are moving.

The Ukrainians accused the pro-Russian rebels have not stopped the violence and continued subversion and armed assaults on Ukrainian military and residential areas despite the dreadful tragedy.

“The international community must apply maximum political pressure on Russia to make them withdraw the terrorists,” the statement said.

This is to allow experts a full and unimpeded access to the crash site for a more comprehensive investigation, it said.

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