Russia has repeatedly denied playing any part in the Malaysia Airlines crash in Eastern Ukraine on Thursday.
President Vladimir Putin has said responsibility for the accident lies with Kyiv because of the ongoing military operation in Ukraine.
During a cabinet meeting at the Kremlin he offered his condolences to the families of the victims and ministers observed a moment of silence.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that the black boxes from the crash site would not be brought to Moscow and stressed what action should be taken following the accident.
“Our position has been clear and precise. The president of the Russian Federation has demanded an independent investigation from the very beginning. We were the first ones to ask for this…The claims from Kyiv that we are responsible, well I haven’t heard a truthful statement coming from there in months,” said Lavrov.
