Ukranian Pilot Blamed For MH17 Crash Has Reportedly Died By Suicide
Vladyslav Voloshyn was said to have suffered from depression.
By Katrina Khairul Azman — 21 Mar 2018, 01:49 PM
Captain Vladyslav Voloshyn, the man Russia accused of shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 on 17 July 2014, has reportedly committed suicide
According to New Straits Times, Voloshyn was said to have shot himself in his home in what has been classified by police as a suicide. However, the death is being investigated under the premeditated murder article of Ukraine's criminal code.
A military service pistol was found at the scene.
Reports have emerged claiming that Voloshyn suffered from depression
According to Malaysiakini, Voloshyn may have been implicated in a corruption scandal in Ukraine. He was allegedly pressured by government officials into signing illegal documents at the airport where he worked in Mykolaiv.
Ukranian media outlets published text messages between the deceased and a friend, in which he purportedly said breaking the law has led to him feeling suicidal.
After the passenger flight was shot down while flying over eastern Ukraine, Russian officials claimed that Voloshyn was responsible
The Russian government has continued to deny responsibility for the tragedy that killed all 298 passengers and 15 crew members on board.
However, it was concluded by a Dutch-led investigation in 2016 that the plane was shot down by a Buk missile from Russia
A member of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) revealed that the Buk missile that shot down the aircraft "was brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation and after the launch was subsequently returned to the Russian Federation territory."
Voloshyn has always maintained his innocence.