July 21, 2014
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A SA-11 surface-to-air missile was used to shoot down the Malaysia Boeing 777, which was carrying several important AIDS researchers and an Indiana University doctoral student. Also known as a Buk, the missile was first built by the Soviet Union and is capable of downing a jet traveling up to 70,000 feet. According to a U.S. intelligence official, several missile systems were provided to Russian separatists by the Russian government within the last week or so, although it was unclear when the rebels were trained to operate them.
On Friday, The Pentagon said there is strong evidence the missile was fired by Russian-backed separatists and that the chances of them obtaining or operating the sophisticated missile system without Russian help was next to impossible.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk believes the tragedy will finally expose Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hand behind the violence.
“The Russians have done it now,” he said.
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“It seems like Putin was for the first time caught red-handed and that this horrible tragedy could become a real game-changer for the conflict in eastern Ukraine,” added Lilia Shevtsova, a senior researcher with Moscow Carnegie Center.
To date, Putin has denied any involvement, instead blaming Ukraine’s offensive against the separatists as the cause of the tragedy.
So, who’s responsible?
