Tony Abbott says Russia must apologise for MH17 or drastic action must be taken

TONY Abbott has called for Australia to take drastic action if Moscow refuses to apologise for the downing of MH17.

TONY Abbott is calling for Australia to take the drastic action of expelling the Russian ambassador if Moscow refuses to apologise for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

Australia kicked out two Russian spies masquerading as diplomats in March as part of a massive joint action by more than 20 countries to condemn Russia for the attempted poisoning of former intelligence agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the UK.

More than 150 Russian diplomats were expelled worldwide as part of the joint action to back Britain’s condemnation of Russia.

MORE: Russian missile shot down MH17, investigation finds

Former prime minister Tony Abbott is calling for drastic action against Russia in the wake of the MH17 findings. Picture: AAP/Mick Tsikas

Mr Abbott, who once threatened to “shirt-front” Vladimir Putin when he was Prime Minister, says similar action by Australia is justified when it comes to the deaths of 298 people, including 38 Australians, who were killed when MH17 was shot down by a BUK missile owned by the Russian Army.

“A country can’t be complicit in the death of 38 ­Australians and face no con­sequences,” he told The Australian.

“If the Russians don’t apologise, we should expel the Russian ambassador until they do.”

The Russian ambassador, Grigory S. Logvinov. Picture: Gary Ramage

On Friday, after the Joint ­Investigation Team confirmed the Buk-Telar missile which downed MH17 was transported into Ukraine by the Russian 53rd Brigade, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said Australia was considering political and legal steps in partnership with other countries to hold those responsible for the “atrocious act” to account.

A part of the BUK-TELAR rocket that was fired on the MH17 flight. Picture: ANP/Robin van Lonkhuijsen

The Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 at the crash site in the village of Hrabove (Grabovo), some 80km east of Donetsk. Moscow. Picture: AFP/Alexander Khudoteply

Asked yesterday whether Australia might expel more diplomats, Ms Bishop told The Australian “further options” were being considered.

“We are discussing Russia’s ­actions with other nations,” she said. “Further options will be considered in due course”.

Ms Bishop has also demanded Russia pay reparations to the families of the MH17 victims.

Russian Ambassador Grigory Logvinov has rejected Australia’s calls for reparations and slammed the JIT finding as “determined in advance”.

“The so called ‘investigation’ is conducted almost completely on the basis of information from social networks and several international non-governmental organisations, which have tainted themselves long ago by fakes, forgeries, primitive fabrications and so on,” he said.

“Substantial legal, physical and other data, contesting all this fakes, are blatantly rejected and ignored.”

Originally published as Tony Abbott says Russia must apologise for MH17 or drastic action must be taken