Moscow denies role in MH17 downing

MOSCOW - Russia has rejected an investigation that found a Russian missile downed flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014, saying no such weapon had ever crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border and blaming Kiev for the tragedy.

"Not a single anti-aircraft missile system from the Russian Federation has ever crossed the Russia-Ukraine border," the Defense Ministry said in a statement carried by local news agencies on Thursday.

The ministry accused Ukraine of being behind the disaster in which 298 people died, saying it had presented evidence that "showed the involvement of Ukrainian units using (Soviet-designed) BUK missiles".