Updated 10:02 a.m. Moscow Time
MOSCOW, September 17 (RIA Novosti) – The incident with a Malaysian passenger plane in eastern Ukraine has been used deliberately to push ahead with sanctions against Russia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
“The crash of the Malaysian plane is a terrible tragedy. It led not only to many human casualties, but also it was used for deliberate escalation of international tensions, applying pressure on countries to push forward with sectoral sanctions against Russia,” Lavrov said in an interview with El Pais newspaper published on Wednesday.
Russia “calls for strict observance of the UNSC decision by which the Security Council would keep the development of the situation under control,” according to Lavrov.
Moscow insists on a proper investigation of a Malaysian plane crash in Ukraine that would reveal real causes of the incident, the minister underlined.
“The truth must be found. We decisively insist on that considering that some countries do not show particular enthusiasm over the transparent and accountable investigation,” Lavrov said.
“In light of a high profile of the tragedy on the global scale, we believe that such an investigation is vital not only for establishing the true causes of the crash and bringing those responsible to justice. It is also vital for maintaining global peace and security,” the minister added.
On July 17, a Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed in Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk, killing all 298 people on board.
The reason for the crash is still a matter of debates.
Last week, the Dutch Safety Board issued a preliminary report on the MH17 crash, saying that the Malaysia Airlines flight broke up in the air probably as the result of structural damage caused by a large number of high-energy objects that penetrated the aircraft from outside.
However, Russia has found the information in the report inconclusive.
The preliminary report on the crash of the MH17 has answered no questions Russia was interested in, Lavrov told the RVC channel Saturday. The minister added that the Russian experts are preparing another set of questions together with the Russian aviation authorities in order to "identify the issues, which are necessary for urgent consideration."
The Dutch Safety Board stated that the investigation team will now be working towards producing its final report, which is due next summer.
