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Ukraine Denies Shooting Down Russian Tu-154 Plane
Ukraine denied Friday any involvement of its anti-missile defense system in Thursday's crash of a Russian Tu-154 airliner en route from Israel's Tel Aviv to NoVosibirsk in Russia's Far East.
Some foreign media reported that the plane was accidentally shot down by a Ukrainian missile during military exercises on the Crimean peninsula.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry on Friday issued a statement saying it was groundless to confirm involvement of Ukraine's anti-missile defense forces in the crash of the Russian Siberia airliner, which plunged into the Black Sea with 78 people on board.
It said an ad hoc commission, which was set up in accordance with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma's order, is investigating into the accident.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Aleksandr Kuzmuk said Friday that missiles used in the exercise did not have the range to reach the plane. He said the shooting was conducted in a range of from 20 to 40 kilometers. The exercise was reportedly conducted at about 250 kilometers from the site of the crash.
Kuzmuk stressed that the Defense Ministry is ready to hand over all the relevant information and data collected to Russian military experts to probe into the accident.
Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma on Thursday expressed condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying it is absolute groundless to accuse Ukraine of involvement in the tragedy.
He stressed that Ukraine is willing to make all efforts to assist Russia in investigating the cause of the accident.
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