Conclusions By Dutch Prosecutors, Almaz-Antey Experts On MH17 Crash Differ, But Not Fully

AMSTERDAM (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2021) The conclusions of the Dutch prosecutor's office in the case of the downing of a Malaysian jet over Ukraine mostly differ from those made by experts of the Russian Almaz-Antey arms maker, whose Buk missile was allegedly used to shoot the plane down, but not on all aspects, Brechtje van de Moosdijk, prosecution's press secretary, told Sputnik.

Deputy chief prosecutor Digna van Boetzelaer earlier told the media that Almaz-Antey experts had examined the reconstruction site of the Boeing crash at the Gilze-Rijen air base before being questioned by the investigating judge and their conclusions were included in the case.

"Investigative judge has heard them as a witness � four days when they were alone, three more days with others. It's a report of one hundred pages," van de Moosdijk said.

She also confirmed that the case included reports submitted by Almaz-Antey experts on the nature of the damages to the aircraft and the location of the missile launch site.

"Opinions are different, mostly different, but I can't say that everything is different. This is not the time to talk now about all conclusions," she stated.

The Malaysian Boeing bound to Kuala Lumpur crashed in July 2014 while flying over a conflict zone in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. An international group of investigators claims that the plane was downed by a Buk missile belonging to the Russian armed forces. Moscow has, however, repeatedly denied the allegations. Though Russia offered help in the investigation, it was denied access to the probe.

The Dutch prosecution recently concluded that the aircraft was shot down by the Buk air defense missile system, which was launched from the direction of the Pervomaiskoye village. At the same time, Almaz-Antey experts, after conducting three experiments, maintain that the launch came not from Pervomayskoye, which at the time was under control of the militia, but from the direction of Zaroshchenskoye village, the territory controlled by the Ukrainian army.

The trial of four suspects � three Russians and a Ukrainian � began last March in the Netherlands, but had to be adjourned over the COVID-19 pandemic. The hearings resumed on Thursday in the Schiphol Judicial Complex.