The Dutch newspaper Volkskrant on the day of the start of the hearing on the crash of the Malaysian Boeing in Ukraine published a material in which, citing anonymous sources, it claims that hackers allegedly connected with the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) gained access to the Dutch police system in 2017 when the investigation into the crash of Flight MH17 was conducted.
According to the newspaper, the hacking was not noticed by the police, but it was the information of the Security Service (AIVD) that helped to detect it.
The hack led to a "great panic" over the MH17 investigation. The information was provided to the newspaper by people with knowledge of the incident, but the police and the AIVD refused to confirm or deny the hacking.
Sources told the newspaper that the hack detected by the AIVD came from the Dutch IP address of the police academy's server. "Traces of hackers were found in several places," Volkskrant reports, citing four sources. It is unclear if the hackers were able to gain access to any information relevant to the MH17 investigation, or what information they might have obtained.
Recall, a Malaysian Boeing flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on flight MH17 crashed near Donetsk in 2014. All 298 people on board were killed. Kiev blamed the militia for the crash, but they said they did not have the means to shoot down an aircraft at such a height.
During the investigation of the joint investigation group (JIT) under the leadership of the Prosecutor General of the Netherlands, the investigation concluded that the Boeing was shot down from the Buk anti-aircraft missile system belonging to the Russian Armed Forces.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the accusations of Russia's involvement in the crash of the Malaysian Boeing are unfounded and regrettable, the investigation is biased and one-sided. President Vladimir Putin noted that Russia is not allowed to investigate the crash of the airliner in eastern Ukraine, and Moscow can recognize the results of the investigation if it takes a full part in it.
