MH17 Criminal Court Blocked By Russia

Russia has vetoed a plan to set up a tribunal to prosecute whoever is suspected of downing Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine.

The Malaysia Airlines flight is largely believed to have been hit by a surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people on board.

Ukraine and the West have suggested that separatists backed by Russia or Russian troops themselves were responsible for shooting down the plane in July 2014.

Moscow has repeatedly dismissed the accusations and state media has suggested that Ukrainian jets were to blame.

The tragedy is being investigated by the Netherlands, Australia, Ukraine, Malaysia and Belgium.

More than 40 Australians and two Britons were among those who died and UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond demanded a UN-backed international tribunal to prosecute those responsible .

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would block the proposed tribunal in the United Nations Security Council because there were still "a lot of questions" about the inquiry, to which it has had little access.

David Cameron said he was infuriated by Russia's veto but said it would not stop the UK seeking justice for those who died.

He said: "I think it is infuriating and completely wrong.

"Let us not forget: British people died on this flight. Hundreds of people died on this flight. We cannot let one country stand in the way of getting to the truth or one country stand in the way of getting justice.

"If we cannot set up a tribunal through the United Nations route, we will have to look at other ways to make sure this is done.

"As in the case of the Lockerbie disaster, justice must be done."

The vote at the UN came after last-minute efforts to convince Mr Putin to support the resolution, with the Dutch ambassador to the UN, Karel van Oosterom, tweeting that "it was preferable to make a decision about the tribunal before the facts and charges have been established precisely in order to avoid politicising the prosecution process".

Eleven nations on the 15-member council are in favour of the tribunal. China, Angola and Venezuela abstained, with Russia using its veto.

Malaysia's Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the vote sent a "dangerous message of impunity to the perpetrator of this heinous crime".

Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the UN said: "No veto will stand in the way of this heinous crime being investigated and prosecuted."

A preliminary report last year said that the plane had suffered no technical problems before it broke up in the sky after being hit by multiple objects.

Two weeks ago footage emerged showing the moment rebels arrived at the crash site in eastern Ukraine and are seen realising that the downed plane was civilian, not military.

The investigation by the Dutch Safety Board will only establish the cause of the crash, not who is to blame.

A separate inquiry by the Dutch national prosecutor's office aims to decide who is responsible.