Not a new assertion, but it is important to note that no preliminary investigation that's been published so far has included the "Russian" part -- just "strong suspicion that a surface-to-air missile" brought it down. Although U.S. and German intelligence sources have suggested they believe it was Russian or pro-Russian forces who fired the missile.
Unclear who "most sources" are:
Here's U.S. President Barack Obama at a meeting yesterday with the President's Export Council, which serves as the principal national advisory committee on international trade:
"[Russian President Vladimir] Putin does not have good cards and he actually has not played them as well as, sometimes, the Western press seems to give him credit for. There has been an improvisational quality to this whole process because the situation in Ukraine actually took Russia by surprise. And, it is working for him, politically, domestically but profoundly damaging in terms of their economy long-term, not just short-term."
"Where Putin will succeed is if it creates a rift in the trans-Atlantic relationship. If you start seeing Europe divided from the United States, that would be a strategic victory and I am intent on preventing that. And, the way to prevent it is making sure that we are taking into account the very real economic impact on Europe from these sanctions, being measured in terms of how we apply them, and having some strategic patience."
"The notion that we can simply ratchet up sanctions further and further and further and then ultimately Putin changes his mind, I think is a miscalculation."
"What will, ultimately, lead to Russia making a strategic decision is if they recognize that Europe is standing with us, and will be in it for the long haul, and we are, in fact, patient. If they see that there aren't any cracks in the coalition, then, over time, you could see them saying that the costs to their economy outweigh whatever strategic benefits that they get."
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko commenting today in an address to the Lowy Institute think tank in Sydney about reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin's delegation to India may have included Sergei Aksyonov, Crimea's Moscow-backed leader:
"Indian position doesn't help and doesn't save Mr Aksyonov. He is a criminal, very simple. He has a criminal background, and no doubt he has a criminal future."
Love the qualification that the staunch Moscow defenders of Russia Insider introduce this piece with:
This is another article we publish not because we agree with its thesis (we don’t) but because it intelligently argues that the western policy of confrontation with Russia is wrong even if one accepts its underlying assumption, which is that Russia’s policies are intended to reverse the “defeat” Russia suffered at the end of the Cold War.
It continues, but you get the picture: "Ignore most of what this says because it's inconvenient, but hey, look: Someone is criticizing Western policy on Russia!"