Putin 'Likely' Supplied Missile That Downed MH17, Investigators Say, Ending Probe

There are "strong indications" that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally approved the supply of the missile that shot down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in 2014, international investigators said Wednesday. 

There was no suggestion, however, that the strongman leader ordered that the aircraft be shot down.

Investigators said they were halting their eight-year probe in view of Putin's immunity as head of state and insufficient volume of concrete evidence to prosecute him or other suspects. The announcement came months after a Dutch court convicted two Russians and a Ukrainian in absentia over complicity in the catastrophe.

All 298 people on board were killed when a Russian-made missile slammed into the plane traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, sending it crashing to earth in separatist-held eastern Ukraine. Russia always denied any involvement in the downing of the flight over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, and refused to cooperate with the international investigation.

"There are strong indications that a decision was made at the presidential level, by President Putin, to supply the DPR (Donetsk People's Republic) with the Buk TELAR" missile system, Dutch prosecutor Digna van Boetzelaer told a news conference in The Hague. "Although we speak of strong indications, the high bar of complete and conclusive evidence is not reached."

"Furthermore, the President enjoys immunity in his position as Head of State," he added.