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New developments in the investigation of the destruction of flight MH17 in July 2014 over Ukraine. The international investigative team (JIT) under the leadership of the Netherlands is increasingly convinced of Moscow's influence over pro-Russian rebels suspected of shooting down the plane. It publishes recordings of telephone conversations intended to support these suspicions.
In one of the excerpts of the intercepted conversations, a pro-Russian rebel announces to his interlocutor in July 2014 that men of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoeg will arrive in Donetsk to replace local warlords.
International investigators report almost daily telephone exchanges between the leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk Republic and their contacts in the Russian Federation, including Vladislav Surkov, Vladimir Putin's adviser, in charge of Ukraine.
" Relations between the leaders of the Donetsk Republic and members of the Russian government appear to be close, raising questions about their possible involvement in the deployment of the missile, which killed MH17, " say investigators while launching new calls for witnesses.
The statement highlights several unanswered questions: Did Vladislav Surkov or Sergei Shoeg play a role in the conduct of hostilities in eastern Ukraine in the summer of 2014? Did these people participate in the deployment of the BUK air defense system on July 17, 2014, the investigators question, while launching new calls for witnesses.
Spokeswoman of the Russian diplomacy Maria Zakharova denounces elements " unconfirmed, or even false ", intended, according to her, to " accredit a judicial decision already taken ".
The trial of flight MH17 is scheduled to open on 9 March in the suburbs of Amsterdam. Three Russian suspects and one Ukrainian will be tried for homicide.
The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was hit by a missile on 17 July 2014 while flying over the Donetsk region. None of the 298 people on board survived.
► to read also: MH17 crash: Kiev exchanged a key suspect with Moscow