U.S. still believes MH17 was shot down by Russian-backed separatists – State Department

Washington continues to support the investigation into the causes of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crash in Ukraine's east, which is conducted by the Netherlands, but it still believes the plane was shot down by surface-to-air missiles fired by Russian-backed separatists, Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner for the U.S. Department of State said.

"We obviously continue to support efforts to bring those responsible, to hold them accountable for the deaths of 298 passengers and crew. I'm aware of the reports that you mentioned earlier today; we certainly support the Dutch investigation. I know that the National Transportation Safety Board is participating in that investigation, but our assessment hasn't changed. We still believe this was the work of Russian-backed separatists," Toner said at a briefing on Tuesday when asked to comment on the latest data of the Dutch inquiry.

"I mean, we've been very clear about our assessments since, really, immediately following this terrible tragedy. And that is that the MH17, we believe, was shot down by surface-to-air missiles fired by – or fired from, rather, separatist-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine,"

The Dutch Safety Board reported on Tuesday that the group of specialists investigating the cause of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 flight crash in eastern Ukraine in 2014 was examining "several parts, possibly originating from a Buk surface-air missile system."

"In cooperation with the Dutch Safety Board (DSB), the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) are investigating several parts, possibly originating from a Buk surface-air-missile system. These parts have been secured during a previous recovery-mission in Eastern-Ukraine and are in the possession of the criminal investigation team MH17 and the Dutch Safety Board," it said in a press release.

"At present the conclusion cannot be drawn that there is a causal connection between the discovered parts and the crash of flight MH17," it said.

"The parts are of particular interest to the criminal investigation as they can possibly provide more information about who was involved in the crash of MH17," according to the press release.

"For that reason the JIT is further investigating the origin of these parts. The JIT will internationally enlist the help of experts, among others forensic specialists and weapon-experts," it said.

The international group is conducting the criminal inquiry, while the Dutch Safety Board is working to establish the immediate reasons behind the Malaysian Boeing crash, it said.

"Both investigations are conducted separately but the JIT and the DSB occasionally share material. In its final report the Dutch Safety Board will report on the discovered parts," according to the press release.

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