Missile that downed MH17 flight in 2014 came from Russia, investigators concluded

International prosecutors investigating the downing of flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 say the missile that hit the plane was fired from territory controlled by Russian-backed rebels.

They said the missile launcher was brought into Ukraine from Russia and later returned there.

All 298 people on board the Boeing 777 died when it broke apart in midair flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

Prosecutors said they were not accusing Russia of involvement.

They said there were 100 people “linked to the crash or the transport of the Buk” missile, but they are yet to determine who could be held criminally responsible.

There is a need to establish who gave the order to move the missile launcher into eastern Ukraine, and where the order for it to be fired came from, investigators said.

Russia has disputed claims that the missile was fired by rebels in eastern Ukraine.

The Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team (JIT) consists of prosecutors from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine.

They have narrowed the missile launch site down to a specific field near the village of Pervomaiskyi.