The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is cooperating with investigators, including from the Netherlands, in the inquiry into the 2014 downing of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 flight in Donbas, but is unaware of Volodymyr Tsemakh, until recently a key person of interest, now being treated as a suspect, SBU chief Ivan Bakanov said.
“We are communicating, and I believe we are partners, including with the Netherlands,” Bakanov told Interfax on the sidelines of the 16th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in Kyiv on Sept. 13.
Commenting on the information that the former Donetsk militiaman, who was handed over by Ukraine to Russia as part of a recent prisoner exchange, was no longer a witness but a suspect, Bakanov said he learnt this from the media and so could not confirm it.
When asked whether investigators were able to question Tsemakh, Bakanov said, “They did everything they could do within the status that person had. We were open and we provided all possible assistance in accordance with the law. We did whatever we could, likewise for them.”
He welcomed the prospect of Russia allowing Dutch investigators to question Tsemakh.
“Whether it will agree or not will mean a lot. I think that the international coalition cannot be destroyed but will only strengthen because everyone understands what’s going on. We had to bring our heroes back home, and we had no moral right to delay this exchange,” Bakanov said.
