THE HAGUE, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The Dutch government announced on Friday that the Netherlands and Australia hold Russia responsible for its part in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, while Russia refuted the accusation.
The Dutch-led five-nation joint investigation team (JIT) announced on Thursday that the installation of the Buk missile that shot down the flight MH17 in 2014 came from the 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Russian army in Kursk.
"On the basis of the JIT's conclusions, the Netherlands and Australia are now convinced that Russia is responsible for the deployment of the Buk installation that was used to down MH17. The government is now taking the next step by formally holding Russia accountable," said the Dutch government in a statement.
"A possible next step is to present the case to an international court or organisation for their judgment," said the statement.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Friday that no new anti-aircraft missiles crossed the border to Ukraine since 1991.
Russia has destroyed all its Buk missiles, the warranty period of which expired in 2011, said the ministry in its statement.
On July 17, 2014, Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine. The plane was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. On board were 283 passengers and 15 crew members. Among the passengers were 196 Dutch nationals.
In October 2015, the Dutch Safety Board said the crash was caused by the detonation of a Buk missile that exploded right next to the cockpit. In September 2016, the JIT formed by investigators from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, and Ukraine said the Buk missile was brought from Russia.
Russia has repeatedly rejected the JIT findings, calling it "biased and politically motivated".
Meanwhile, Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders tweeted on Friday that "Belgium hopes the decision of the Netherlands and Australia to invoke Russia's responsibility for the destruction of flight #MH17 in 2014 will contribute constructively to the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2166 of the UN."
