In the midst of the already mounting pressure against Vladimir Putin to actively disarm pro-Russian militants fighting in Ukraine, the U.S. has now lobbied claims blaming Russia for the recent Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 travesty. The Obama Administration has officially and publicly pointed the finger at Putin for providing pro-Russian rebels with the long-range rocket used to take down the plane. They have gone as far as to say that the Russian government has even assisted in the training of said militants.
U.S. officials have reported that the intelligence gathered after the crash indicated the missile batteries used were moved back into Russia quickly following the attack. They believe that this indicates the presence of a cover-up. National leaders around the world have been leaning on Putin to use his influence with the militants to allow investigators onto the crash site.
Despite all the demands, nothing has been determined along the line of greater economic sanctions against Russia. However, European Union leaders have already announced that Russian assets could be frozen as soon as Tuesday, July 22.
Secretary of State John Kerry stated, as reported by CNN, “We have enormous input about this, which points fingers. It points a very clear finger at the separatists.” Nonetheless, he was hesitant to elaborate any further. Though he would not directly say Putin was responsible for the attack, American officials believe Putin and the Russian government are responsible for supplying pro-Russian militants with heavy military equipment. U.S. and European officials alike, believe that the rebels are trying to destroy evidence at the crash site.
Putin responded on his own website to the allegations by posting, “It’s essential for a robust team of experts to work on the site of the crash under the auspices of ICAO, the relevant international commission. Everything must be done to ensure its full and absolute security and guarantee the humanitarian corridors necessary for its work.”
Even if Putin’s government is not directly behind the attack, Russian relations with the U.S. and Europe are strained at best.
Lithuanian foreign minister Linas Linkevicius explained, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, “If anyone had the illusion that this was only happening in Ukraine, that it had nothing to do with our common concerns—now we can see all these victims from the West.” He and others believe that Western powers need to become more active in the region in order for the violence to end. Still, it is not yet seen if this latest incident will be what it takes for the West to lose its patience.
