MH17 crash: ‘Key witness’ released in Ukraine

(FASTNEWS | COLOMBO) – A Ukrainian court has released a potentially key witness to the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 that killed all 298 people on board in 2014.

Volodymyr Tsemakh, 58, was seized this year from a separatist-held part of Ukraine. He is reported to have played a key role in the rebels’ air defences.

Dutch-led investigators voiced concern they may be unable to interview him.

He is reported to be on a list of prisoners that Moscow wants exchanged with Ukrainians it holds in Russia.

On 17 July 2014, the aircraft was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was hit by a missile over eastern Ukraine. Most of those killed were Dutch citizens.