Russia Declined Dutch Request for Kursk Brigade Head Interrogation in MH17 Case, Judge Says

PARIS (Sputnik) - Russia has declined the request of the Netherlands for the interrogation of the head of the Kursk brigade commander, Sergey Muchkayev, in the MH17 plane crash case, presiding judge Hendrik Steenhuis said on Wednesday.

The Russian Ministry of Justice replied that, according to the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, such a request may be refused if the state believes that it harms the interests of the state, Steenhuis said at a hearing, broadcast on the court's website.

Moscow also noted that Muchkayev should have been asked about military issues that may relate to state secrets, which could harm the interests of the country, the judge added.

Therefore, Russia is not in a position to cooperate on the matter, he said.

The MH17 flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed near the city of Donetsk on 17 July 2014. All 298 passengers and crew members were killed. The interim conclusions presented by the Dutch-led international Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which does not include Russia, suggested that the plane was downed by a Russian-made Buk missile.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the JIT allegations of Russia's links to the crash were groundless, adding that the investigation was biased and one-sided.