Russia hits back at claims of MH17 downing

Russia on Tuesday rejected Dutch representations at the United Nations that it was responsible for the downing of Flight MH17 over Ukraine, after it was accused in an investigation saying that a Russian army missile was used in the attack.

At a Security Council meeting, Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok called on Moscow to accept the findings that the airliner was shot down by a Russian-made BUK missile provided by a brigade based in the Russian city of Kursk.

Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the meeting that his country does not accept the conclusions of the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team, Xinhua reported.

"The language of ultimatums is not something that anyone will be allowed to use when speaking to Russia," Nebenzia said. "We cannot accept the unfounded conclusion of the JIT."

Responding to Nebenzia, the Dutch foreign minister said his arguments were "nothing new" and again urged Russia to work with the Netherlands and Australia to identify the perpetrators.

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley voiced strong support for the Dutch and Australian call and help bring to account those responsible for the shooting down.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said Russia's rejection of the findings "did not surprise me at all".

Ukraine will present documents to the International Court of Justice next month, he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that it was inappropriate for Australia and the Netherlands to issue Moscow with ultimatums over compensation for relatives of people killed in the downing of flight MH17.

Russia has repeatedly provided international investigators with documentary evidence regarding the crash of MH17 in Ukraine, but they have been ignored, Lavrov said.

Dutch columnist Joost Niemoller said so far, the investigation team has come up with speculation, rather than evidence.

"They can't come up with the evidence, because there isn't any evidence, ... I haven't seen any real evidence so far. I only have seen speculation. What else can they do? The Dutch and Ukrainians can't do anything else than come up with these videos from the internet, giving names, ... just giving impressions," he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry last week refuted the accusation, saying that no new antiaircraft missiles crossed the border to Ukraine since 1991.

Flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, en route from the Dutch capital of Amsterdam to Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people aboard were killed, including 196 citizens of the Netherlands.