The Foreign Minister Winston Peters says he's deeply concerned at confirmation the missile that brought down flight MH17 four years ago came from Russian forces.
Winston Peters Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
All 298 passengers onboard the Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, including two New Zealanders, died when the missile struck above Ukraine in July 2014.
The incident occurred at the height of the conflict between government troops and pro-Russian separatists.
Mr Peters said New Zealand had full confidence in the investigators, who have been careful, methodical and impartial throughout their work.
He said the finding raises serious questions, and the government supported all international efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Wreckage of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, a week after the plane came down. Photo: AFP
The plane was hit by a BUK missile fired from rebel-held territory in Ukraine. Russia said none of its weapons were used.
On Thursday, Wilbert Paulissen, a Dutch official from the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), told reporters: "All the vehicles in a convoy carrying the missile were part of the Russian armed forces."
He said investigators had traced the convoy to a Russian brigade.
Russia said the finding was based on fake data.
- RNZ / BBC