In a significant step towards laying the blame for the shooting-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 at the door of the Russian state, international investigators say the Buk missile that destroyed the jet in July 2014 was supplied by a Russian military unit.

An interim report by the investigators, published in the Netherlands, traced the missile to Russia’s 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade, based in the western city of Kursk, and added that “all the vehicles in the convoy carrying the missile were part of the Russian armed forces”.

Wilbert Paulissen, head of the Dutch national crime squad, said this was based on “convincing legal evidence that will stand up in a courtroom”, though he said there was “still work to be done” before charges could be levelled against those responsible.

This is the first time the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) – made up of crime experts from Australia, Malaysia, Ukraine, Belgium and the Netherlands – has come close to suggesting Russian complicity in downing the airliner, even to the extent of providing the missile system.

Even so, Dutch prosecutor Fred Westerbeke remained wary of going further than the evidence warranted, acknowledging only that it prompted new questions, “such as how actively involved the brigade itself was in bringing down Flight MH17”.

However, there’s no doubt that the report poses real political problems for the countries most affected by the disaster – in which 298 passengers and crew died, including 80 children and three infants – not least in terms of how they deal with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

Those concerns are best illustrated by the fact that shortly after the contents became public, Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte announced he was cutting short a trade visit to India in order to return to The Hague for a cabinet meeting on Friday.

As expected, the JIT analysis confirmed the findings of a report by the Dutch Safety Board in October 2015, which concluded that Flight MH17 had been shot down using a Russian-made Buk 332 missile system fired by pro-Russian separatists from territory they controlled in eastern Ukraine.

It goes somewhat further in that it identifies the suppliers of the Buk missile and missile launcher as a specific Russian military unit, and says that particular unit had control of both before the missile was fired from a farm near the village of Pervomaisk, in eastern Ukraine.

However, it’s significant too that the JIT is still calling on members of the 53rd anti-aircraft brigade or their relatives, or anyone with information, to come forward.

“Who formed part of the Buk crew?” asked Mr Paulissen. “What were their instructions? Who was responsible for its operational deployment on July 17th, 2014? We are convinced that many people have this information.”

The Russian defence ministry, in a statement carried by state media, rejected the JIT report, saying it had “brought the relevant evidence to the Dutch investigation team”.

It said that from the immediate aftermath of the catastrophe, and subsequently, it had categorically denied “the insinuations of the Ukrainian side about the involvement of Russian servicemen”.

And it added that, contrary to the evidence presented by the JIT, “not a single anti-aircraft missile system from Russia has ever crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border”.

Even if Thursday’s report does ultimately lead to criminal charges against named suspects, those suspects are expected to be tried in absentia in the Netherlands.

That is both because Russia used its veto last year to block a UN Security Council resolution calling for a special international tribunal, and because it is inconceivable that Moscow would agree to extradite anyone charged.</s>Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on a screen at the stand of Russian state oil major Rosneft during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia May 25, 2018. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin said on Friday he would respect the Russian constitution which bans anyone from serving two consecutive presidential terms, meaning he will step down from his post in 2024 when his current term expires.

His remarks, made to reporters at an economic forum in St Petersburg and broadcast on state TV, are not a surprise and do not necessarily mean he will relinquish power in six years.

Putin has stepped down as president once before, in 2008, after serving two back-to-back terms only to return in 2012 after doing a stint as prime minister, a maneuver he would be legally entitled to carry out again.

“I have always strictly abided by and abide by the constitution of the Russian Federation,” Putin said, when asked if and when he would be leaving office.

“In the constitution it’s clearly written that nobody can serve more than two terms in a row ... I intend to abide by this rule.”

Putin easily won re-election in March, extending his tenure by six years to 24 - which would make him Moscow’s longest-serving leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.</s>St Petersburg: Russian president Vladimir Putin on Friday bemoaned troubled relations with the United States, saying Russia wants to improve them but is effectively held hostage by the disputes surrounding President Donald Trump.

Putin's comments in a meeting with top editors of international news agencies underlined how Russia's once-high hopes for improved relations under Trump have eroded. Although the Trump administration has imposed sanctions on Russia and expelled scores of its diplomats, Russian politicians generally portray Trump as blocked by domestic opposition from fulfilling his campaign promises of improving relations with Moscow.

Earlier in the day, speaking at an annual economic forum, Putin sharply criticised Trump's decision to pull out of the Iranian nuclear deal, saying it could trigger dangerous instability.

The Russian leader said the US withdrawal from the 2015 agreement came even as the international nuclear watchdog confirmed that Tehran was fulfilling its obligations. "What should it be punished for, then?" Putin asked.

Trump's administration has demanded that Iran stop the enrichment of uranium and end its involvement in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Afghanistan in order to negotiate a new deal.

"If international agreements are revised every four years it would offer zero horizon for planning," Putin said. "It will create the atmosphere of nervousness and lack of trust." In the meeting with editors, Putin declined to assess relations between Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un, but said the United States should not try to take a hard line with the country.

"In order to talk about a full denuclearisation of North Korea, I believe we should give North Korea a guarantee of their sovereignty and inviolability," the Russian president said. "I am deeply convinced that if you do impose anything, if you don't behave aggressively and if you don't corner North Korea, the result that we need will be achieved faster than many would think, and at less cost."

Putin also expressed frustration at having little contact with Trump and faulted the investigation into whether there was collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia and whether Russia tried to interfere with the 2016 US election.

"We are hostages to this internal strife in the United States," Putin said. "I hope that it will end some day and the objective need for the development of Russian-American relationships will prevail." At the economic forum, Putin also engaged in a tongue-in-cheek exchange with French President Emmanuel Macron, saying with a smile that Russia could help protect Europe if its rift with the US widens over Iran.

"Don't you worry, we will help ensure your security," Putin said. Macron responded on a serious note that France and its allies could stand for themselves. In his speech at the forum and during talks with Putin on Thursday, Macron called for closer ties between France and Russia despite their differences. Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe also spoke at the forum and called for closer cooperation with Russia.</s>Putin Will Step Down as President After Term Expires In 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Vladimir Putin said on Friday he would respect the Russian constitution which bans anyone from serving two consecutive presidential terms, meaning he will step down from his post in 2024 when his current term expires.

His remarks, made to reporters at an economic forum in St Petersburg and broadcast on state TV, are not a surprise and do not necessarily mean he will relinquish power in six years.

Putin has stepped down as president once before, in 2008, after serving two back-to-back terms only to return in 2012 after doing a stint as prime minister, a maneuver he would be legally entitled to carry out again.

“I have always strictly abided by and abide by the constitution of the Russian Federation,” Putin said, when asked if and when he would be leaving office.

“In the constitution it’s clearly written that nobody can serve more than two terms in a row … I intend to abide by this rule.”

Putin easily won re-election in March, extending his tenure by six years to 24 – which would make him Moscow’s longest-serving leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin./Reuters</s>| Published Sun, May 27th 2018 at 00:00, Updated May 26th 2018 at 21:13 GMT +3

Vladimir Putin said on Friday he would respect the Russian constitution which bans anyone from serving two consecutive presidential terms, meaning he will step down from his post in 2024 when his current term expires.

His remarks, made to reporters at an economic forum in St Petersburg and broadcast on state TV, are not a surprise and do not necessarily mean he will relinquish power in six years.

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Putin has stepped down as president once before, in 2008, after serving two back-to-back terms only to return in 2012 after doing a stint as prime minister, a maneuver he would be legally entitled to carry out again</s>Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday hinted that he might return to power as prime minister — as he did in 2008 — after his time as president ends in 2024.

“I have always abided strictly and will abide to Russia’s constitution. The constitution clearly says no more than two consecutive terms (are allowed),” Putin said when asked at the Saint Petersburg Forum if he would leave power in 2024.

“This is now my second term in a row,” the Russian leader said.

In 2008, after serving two consecutive terms as president, Putin’s ally Dmitry Medvedev became president while Putin moved to the post of prime minister before returning to the presidency four years later.

But observers said Putin remained the most powerful man in the country.

“Remember the previous time I left the presidential post, I also plan to stick to the rules this time,” he said, in a possible hint that he could repeat his earlier move to the premiership in 2024.

Asked on the eve of March 2018 polls if he planned to run for the presidency in 2030, Putin said: “Am I supposed to be in this post till I’m 100 years old? No!”

Putin, who has led Russia since 1999, will be 71 when his term ends in 2024.</s>Vladimir Putin, on Friday, said he would respect the Russian constitution which bans anyone from serving more than two consecutive presidential terms.

This means he will step down from his position in 2024 when his current term expires.

Putin’s remarks were made to reporters at an economic forum in St Petersburg and broadcast on state TV.

He has stepped down as president once before in 2008, after serving two back-to-back terms, only to return in 2012 after doing a stint as prime minister, a maneuver he would be legally entitled to carry out again.

“I have always strictly abide by the constitution of the Russian Federation.

“In the constitution it’s clearly written that nobody can serve more than two terms in a row … I intend to abide by this rule,” Putin said.

Putin was re-elected in March, extending his tenure by six years, which would make him Moscow’s longest-serving leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.</s>Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he would not serve more than two presidential terms in a row, as the Russian constitution states.

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he would not serve more than two presidential terms in a row, as the Russian constitution states.

His current presidential term, his second in succession, ends in 2024.</s>MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that he would not serve more than two presidential terms in a row, as the Russian constitution states.

His current presidential term, his second in succession, ends in 2024.</s>Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron attend a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on May 25, 2018 in St. Petersburg.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that investigations swirling around President Trump are interfering with improved relations with Moscow, noting he has had little contact with the U.S. president.

"We are hostages to this internal strife in the United States,' Putin said at an economic forum in St. Petersburg. "I hope that it will end some day and the objective need for the development of Russian-American relationships will prevail.'

In wide-ranging remarks to reporters and during the televised conference, Putin also said he would step down from his post in 2024, adhering to the Russian constitution ban on anyone serving two consecutive presidential terms.

That pledge, however, does not necessarily mean Putin will retire. In 2008, he stepped down after two consecutive terms to become prime minister, then returned in 2012 to the presidency. He was re-elected in March to a six-year term through 2024.

At the forum, attended by such world leaders as French President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the Russian president bemoaned the state of relations with America, criticized U.S. sanctions against Russia and slammed Trump's decision to withdrawal from an international nuclear agreement with Iran.

Noting that an international watchdog agency has confirmed that Tehran was abiding by the agreement over its nuclear program, Putin asked: "What should it be punished for, then?'

The move by Trump to pull out of the deal has also strained relations between Washington and Europe.

"If international agreements are revised every four years it would offer zero horizon for planning,' Putin said. "It will create the atmosphere of nervousness and lack of trust.'

The Russian president also criticized the imposition of Western sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. In addition, the U.S. has applied sanctions in response to Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.

Putin bemoaned the "chaotic" situation of economic punishment and said the "sanctions baton" is being used more often in the world, and not just toward Moscow.

"The situation in the world is such that it is as though everyone is playing football, but at the same time, they are applying judo rules to it [the match]," he said. "So, we end up with this interesting game, it's neither football, nor judo. It's just chaos."

The ever-confident Russian leader also took an opportunity to chide Macron over Europe's rift with Trump regarding Iran.

A smiling Putin said in the exchange with the French president that Russia could help protect Europe if its dispute with the U.S. widens.

"Don't you worry, we will help ensure your security,' Putin promised.

Macron responded on a serious note that France and its allies could stand for themselves.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says that he will respect the Russian constitution and step down when his term expires in 2024.