U.S. has complete confidence in JIT findings on MH17 downing case – U.S. State Dept.
The U.S. State Department has urged Russia to clarify its role in the downing of Boeing-777 of Malaysia Airlines in 2014, carrying out the flight MH17 Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur.
"The United States has complete confidence in the findings of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) as presented today by the Dutch Public Prosecutor: the missile launcher used to shoot down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 originated from the 53rd Anti-aircraft Brigade of the Russian Federation, stationed in Kursk," a statement by the U.S. State Department's spokeswoman Heather Nauert says.
She recalled the UN Security Council's demand that "those responsible … be held to account and that all States cooperate fully with efforts to establish accountability."
"It is time for Russia to cease its lies and account for its role in the shoot down," Nauert said.
Earlier on Thursday it was reported that the surface-to-air missile that downed the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) aircraft over eastern Ukraine in 2014 belonged to the 53rd Air Defense Missile Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces stationed near Kursk.
As reported, Boeing-777 of Malaysia Airlines, carrying out the flight MH17 Amsterdam (the Netherlands) - Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), was shot down in the sky over Donetsk region on July 17, 2014. All 298 passengers on board died.