Russia Criticizes Stalled MH17 Investigation, Failure to Release Data [Update]

I thought Russia had an observer/expert present in Farnborough overseeing the downloading of data …

Lavrov Says Unclear Why Kiev Not Releasing Air Traffic Recordings of Malaysia Airlines
RIA Novosti | 25/08/2014 16:09 |

MOSCOW – Russia has still not received a clear explanation of why Kiev has not presented the recordings between the air traffic controllers and the crew of the downed Malaysia Airlines passenger airplane, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

“There has been nothing clear in regard to the reasons of why the full presentation of recordings from the black boxes, or reasons of why the Ukrainian side with all of its airplanes that were flying along the same echelon over the region [have not been provided], and there’s nothing clear of the reasons for the inability to present this information,” Lavrov said during a briefing.

« click for more info Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a news conference in Moscow (Photo AFP / Yuri Kadobnov)

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (pic) queried why the recordings from the plane’s black boxes had not been released publicly and said he had the impression that “everyone else has lost interest in the investigation.”

Dutch investigators leading the probe said early this month that they would release an initial report “in a few weeks”.

The Malaysia Insider: Russia Claims MH17 Crash Investigation Stalled

Russia Wants Regular, Transparent Reports on MH17 Crash Probe
RIA Novosti | 23/08/2014 16:09 |

MOSCOW – Moscow wants the investigation into the crash of a Malaysian Boeing 777 to be as most transparent as possible, and insists on regular provision if prove reports in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution, a diplomatic source told RIA Novosti.

“Investigation into the reasons of the catastrophe should be carried out under international control, should be all-encompassing and transparent for the wide international audience and mass media,” the source said. “We will keep pressing for it, demanding the implementation of the UNSC resolution 2166 which stipulates monthly reports about the course of the investigation.”

Resolution 2166 adopted by the UN Security Council in July calls for a thorough and impartial investigation into the MH17 tragedy and requires the secretary-general to provide the Security Council with investigation progress reports.

…
The source added that Kiev’s official position is also telling.

“As the curtain of allegations is clearing, the specialists have more and more questions over the actions of the Ukrainian authorities and military toward the Boeing. Kiev still has not made public the recordings of the talks between air traffic control and the crew, which would allow to understand why the plane was in the combat area,” the diplomatic source said.

Last statement UNSG Ban Ki-moon on MH17 investigation – July 30, 2014

Malaysia’s neutral foreign policy paid dividends in Ukraine, says PM Najib

Lavrov Says MH17 Crash Investigation Raises Suspicion

Continued below the fold …

Lavrov Says MH17 Crash Investigation Raises Suspicion
RIA Novosti | 28/07/2014 16:09 |

MOSCOW — The investigation into the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash in eastern Ukraine casts doubt upon US claims, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday.

“We do not understand why the Americans, who claim that they have some irrefutable evidence in support of their theory, fail to make this evidence public,” Lavrov told reporters.

The foreign minister noted that Kiev has so far failed to provide the recorded conversations between Ukrainian air traffic control and flight MH17.

“According to some information, it is forbidden for these air traffic controllers to talk to anyone. It all raises numerous questions,” the Russian top diplomat continued.

Earlier, a number of media outlets reported that the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) confiscated tapes of conversations between Ukrainian air traffic control officers and the crew of the Malaysia Airlines plane that crashed last week.

On July 23, an Ukrainian government source told RIA Novosti the SBU could hand over the MH17 recordings to US analysts in Kiev.

[For me this raises a lot of suspicion, were the experts from the Dutch Safety Board involved, the DSB never took evidence from the crash site and all experts left Ukraine suddenly on August 11 – Oui]