MH17 investigators reveal an exhaust of a Russian-built BUK missile was found at the crash site

THE team of investigators probing the downing of flight MH17 has confirmed an exhaust of a Russian-built BUK missile was found at the crash site.

Stills taken from the Dutch Safety Board's investigation into the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 which was shot down as it flew over Ukraine.

THE team of investigators probing the downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine killing all on board including 38 Australian citizens and residents has revealed an exhaust of a BUK missile was found at the crash site.

The Joint Investigations Team, staffed by mostly Dutch and Australian investigators, yesterday released a photograph of the missile part, which emits gases that propel the projectile.

Its release confirms the team’s preliminary finding last year that a BUK missile was suspected of having brought down the Malaysian Airlines MH17 flight on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on-board.

The exhaust of a BUK Missile which was discovered at the MH17 crash site. Picture: Joint Investigations Team report.

The surface-to-air missile part is known as a Venturi.

The team last year revealed several shrapnel parts known to be in the missile that tore the aircraft apart midair had been found at the crash site about the embattled east Ukraine Donetsk region, but this is the first time they have admitted finding such a large piece of evidence.

It was also revealed that forensic testing on the bodies of victims found traces of zirconium, (usually found only in cockpit glass) on the shrapnel shards meaning the blast came from outside. There had been theories of a bomb or the aircraft was shot down from an air-to-air missile.

Stills taken from the Dutch Safety Board's investigation into the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 which was shot down as it flew over Ukraine.

The release of the final criminal report into the downing of the aircraft has been delayed several times; it was to have been made public last December then again in January this year.

But investigators said it was still going through evidence and witness testimonies and investigators had faced considerable difficulties in acquiring evidence from the restive eastern Ukraine area, notably the militia-held Donetsk and Luhansk regions and also authorities from Russia who manufacture BUK missiles.

The missile may have been fired from a Russian vehicle but also Ukrainian military hardware taken by the local militia when it took over the area. Critical will be the age of the missile with the Ukraine military having had older stock.

A photo taken on July 23, 2014 shows the carnage at the crash site of flight MH17, in a field near the village of Grabove, in the Donetsk region. Picture: AFP / Bulent Kilic

This latest update of an interim report was last week sent to the families of victims.

Investigators said their probe was at an “advanced stage” and a report could be issued in three or so months including the exact launch site of the missile, established through the taking of soil samples and witness statements.

Russia has consistently denied all involvement in the incident although early indicators point to its military’s hardware being used.

Last year the Dutch Safety Board looking at the cause of the crash concluded it was shot down from a ground missile.

Ahead of its release Ukraine’s former top SBU security services official Vasyl Vovk, who until June last year was the country’s chief investigator on the multinational probe, said he knew who was responsible but conceded it was not conclusive.

“I am confident that this missile system was delivered from the territory of the Russian Federation with a high-skilled crew — most likely a crew of well-trained officers, of course from Russian territory,” he said.