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| MH17: Four charged with shooting down plane over Ukraine | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| For the first time since Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down in July 2014, prosecutors have announced charges against suspects in the case. | |
| Three Russians and a Ukrainian have been charged with transporting a missile into the area and with murdering 298 passengers and crew. | |
| Passenger flight MH17 was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down over conflict-hit Ukraine. | Passenger flight MH17 was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down over conflict-hit Ukraine. |
| A court case will begin in the Netherlands on 9 March 2020. | |
| International arrest warrants have been issued for the four men. | International arrest warrants have been issued for the four men. |
| The Dutch-led joint investigation team (JIT) named the men as Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinskiy and Oleg Pulatov from Russia, as well as Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko of involvement. | |
| The JIT, which seeks to try the suspects under Dutch law, previously said it had a "long list" of persons of interest and appealed again for witnesses as the investigation continues. | |
| Who are the four suspects? | |
| Igor Girkin (also known as Strelkov) is a former colonel of the FSB - Russia's intelligence service, prosecutors say. He was given the minister of defence title in the rebel-held eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk. He is believed to be the highest military officer in the area who was in direct contact with the Russian Federation. In a statement Mr Girkin said: "I can only say that militia did not shoot down the Boeing." | |
| Sergei Dubinskiy (known as Khmuriy), who was employed by Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, was a deputy of Mr Girkin and also in regular contact with Russia, according to prosecutors. | |
| Oleg Pulatov, known as Giurza, is a former soldier of the Spetznaz GRU - the special forces of Russia military intelligence - and was deputy head of the intelligence service in Donetsk, the JIT said. | |
| Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko has no military background but led a combat unit as a commander in Eastern Ukraine, prosecutors said. |