Jul 25, 2014 20:49
Q Can I just -- on Ukraine -- it’s a little over a week obviously since MH17. Does the administration have any doubt that that plane was brought down by separatists by an SA-11 system? Is there any doubt about that now at this point?
MR. EARNEST: Well, what we have seen is we’ve seen that there were heavy weapons moved from Russia to Ukraine, that they have moved into the hands of separatist leaders, and that those separatists who are backed by the Russians were trained by the Russians to use those systems. Those systems include anti-aircraft weapons systems. And according to social media reports, those weapons include the SA-11 system.
What we also know is that the Malaysia Airlines jet was brought down by a missile that was fired from the ground. It was fired from the ground in an area that was controlled by separatists and in an area where the Ukrainians themselves were not actually operating anti-aircraft weapons at that time.
So that is why we have concluded that Vladimir Putin and the Russians are culpable to this tragedy. And I guess the other thing I would point out -- let me look for my notes here -- that I noticed a recent comment from Senator Chambliss, who is the vice-chair of the Senate Intel Committee. He’s a Republican and somebody who doesn’t often agree with the White House. But he did say, whether it was -- this is a quote here -- “whether it was the Russians themselves that pulled the trigger or Russian separatists trained by Russians, it’s all the same, and it all goes back ultimately to Vladimir Putin.”
So that is an indication that, based on somebody who has reviewed the classified intelligence assessments, that President Putin is responsible. And that is why we are coordinating with the international community on a response that targets Russia for their actions.
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