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Observers Turned Back From MH17 Crash Site in Ukraine

by VOA News July 30, 2014

International observers in eastern Ukraine have turned back from the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, after pro-Russian separatists once again prevented them entering the area.

European officials said after discussions with the rebels at the site, the observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe returned to their base in the city of Donetsk.

Safety concerns are keeping international investigators away. A spokesman for Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, Andriy Lysenko, said Wednesday rebels have placed land mines in the area around the crash site.

Families of the victims of the crash, which killed 298 people July 17, are anxious for investigators to reach the scene. Some human remains are believed still at the site, after about 200 sets of remains were transferred to The Netherlands for identification last week.

New sanctions go into effect

Meanwhile, Russia's central bank is promising to support financial institutions hit by new sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union aimed at punishing Russia for its support of the separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The bank on Wednesday promised to 'take adequate measures'' to support institutions affected by the sanctions.

Stock markets in Moscow opened lower Wednesday as the the measures against Russia's banking, oil and defense sectors went into effect.

Announcing new U.S. sanctions targeting Russia's energy, financial and defense sectors, President Barack Obama linked the new penalties to the shootdown of the Malaysian airliner. U.S. analysts say the plane downed over eastern Ukraine was destroyed by a Russian missile likely fired by rebels who believed the aircraft was Ukrainian.

In Brussels meanwhile, ambassadors from the 28-member European Union agreed to new penalties on Russia, including an arms embargo and a ban on trade of equipment for the Russian oil and defense sectors. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU measures against Moscow were 'unavoidable.'

It is not clear what further actions the U.S. and Europe are willing to take if the situation remains unchanged.

On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said there is not a 'shred of evidence' Russia seeks to end the violence and bloodshed in eastern Ukraine.

Speaking during a joint appearance in Washington with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, Kerry again called for Russia to use its 'considerable influence' with separatists in eastern Ukraine to ensure that the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 crash site in eastern Ukraine is secured. He accused the separatists blocking access to the site where the airliner crashed earlier this month.

The U.S. secretary of state also said there is 'clear evidence' of rocket and artillery fire from Russian territory into Ukraine.

Klimkin stressed the importance of reaching a cease-fire with the pro-Russian rebels, with the aim of restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Their comments came as tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated, with Moscow accusing Kyiv of a cross-border attack and committing 'war crimes' in eastern Ukraine.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP, and Reuters.