@Bathik and Teddy Robinson.
1000 posts, zero factual content.
I don't agree. The MH17 thread has factual content. What about the MH370 thread? The facts there could fit on a single A4.
And it will take two years or so before, if ever, the remains of the plane are found. Still the thread is larger than the MH17 thread and growing daily.
Even the pro-russian separist propaganda is interesting, because some eye-withnesses are interviewed.
The witnesses confirm that the plane was spinning (and losing parts) when crashing and crashed on a low gliding angle.
It also states the plane was downed by a Surface to air missile. So no side supports the stupid gun-theory anymore.
Every party in this tragedy has tried to use it for political gain. Even the Dutch, when Frans Timmermans used the 'thug removing the wedding ring from your wife' to gain support. From what I hear, the Russians block further dutch investigative and recovery effort (or at least offer no help). I guess they are still pissed by the sanctions. Internationally, it looks that the MH17 is off the agenda, because Russia and others are needed to counter IS, which is considered a larger threat than the civil war in Ukraine or Russian imperialism.
Despite their claims, without local work in de field, I don't think the DSB can carry out a complete investigation of the 'accident'. One way or the other, fragments and parts need to be recovered. A hangar has been reserved in Charkov for this effort.
Dutch news on MH17 was quiet for a few weeks, but last two weeks showed some developments.
Last week, four dutch workers joined the Ukraine recovery effort for personal belongings and remains. A small truckload was recovered, which will be shipped to the netherlands. Also, Dutch prime minister Rutte had a one-to-one with Putin, asking for support for the dutch return to the crash site. He reminded Putin of the fact that dutch companies helped to recover the Kursk including the remains of the sailors on board, and that the Dutch have the same feeling concerning the victims of MH17.
The German claim is also known in the Netherlands. Comment from the dutch criminal investigation team is that they have the same information and they hint that the Germans jump to conclusions. In short, they want to keep their cards close to the chest, while dutch parlement wants a public hearing.... Different from an air crash investigation, which can end with a 'most probable cause', a criminal investigation should be more rocksolid, because it has to prove beyond reasonable doubt. Think about the effort on PA 103.
At this moment all but 20 victims have been identified, which increases the believe that Ukraine recovery crews carried out their work rather thorough.
However, from at least one victim nothing has been recovered yet. Her uncle was the first dutch next of kin to visit the crash site, searching his niece. He only stayed for a short time, because there is still fighting going on there, especially in the yet unsearched area's.
I will add links later