MH17: Ukraine's Donetsk Republic Leader Says Nobody’s Getting Debris at Crash Site
Alexander Zakharchenko, prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), revealed last Monday that debris litter of the downed Malaysia Airlines MH17 remain scattered at the crash site in eastern Ukraine and that nobody is actually getting them to supposedly study them.
Zakharchenko said last Monday that the DPR will allow investigators from Ukraine to enter the Malaysian Airlines plane crash site, provided that there are "no Dutch police or German paratroopers."
He said that he found it strange that a large chunk of debris material are still present at the crash site and not being collected. "I am not an expert, but it's clear to me that the debris should be collected and studied," RIA Novosti quoted Zakharchenko.
A report by TASS Russian News Agency, still citing Zakharchenko, reported the DPR had repeatedly invited Ukrainian and international investigators into the rash site, but nobody seemed intent to take on the offer. Zakharchenko even offered "assistance."
The rebel leader said the number of experts that will be accompanied by Ukrainian investigators must first be informed to the DPR before they are allowed to enter to the crash site. "Of course, the number of these experts should be agreed with us."
Last Monday, experts from the Netherlands, amid the fighting between government troops and separatist rebels nearby, visited the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crash site in east Ukraine to recover personal belongings of victims.
Most of the retrieved items included books, toothpaste tubes, playing cards, a plastic watch and a stick of antiperspirant, according to Reuters. A small cargo truck hauled off the items from the fields near Hrabove village to the victims' families. All during the process, armed pro-Russian rebels roamed the site. Workers from the European rights and security watchdog OSCE were also present.
Last Friday, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte blasted at Dutch investigators for stalling their work in the area, claiming of security risks due to the incessant fighting between the separatists and government forces.
"I am surprised the investigation does not continue, nobody is collecting the parts or other pieces of evidence," Zakharchenko said.