Facing widespread international pressure, Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine
appear to be backing away from their efforts to obstruct the investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17:
After days of obstruction, Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine permitted Dutch forensics experts on Monday to search the wreckage of the downed Malaysia Airlines jetliner destroyed by a surface-to-air missile, allowed bodies of the victims to be evacuated by train and agreed to give the plane’s flight recorder boxes to the Malaysia government.
It remains to be seen whether the separatists follow-through with their promise and if they do, whether the recorders will be in pristine, untampered condition. Shortly before the news broke—which was
announced by the Malaysian government—President Obama had
delivered a statement from the White House calling on the rebels to do much of what they are now promising to do.
The president also called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw his country's support for military action in Ukraine, but the agreement announced by the Malaysian government gave no indication of progress on that front.