'The court realises the impact of the loss of so many lives and the manner in which they so abruptly ended is barely conceivable.'
Russia has long denied any involvement in the downing of MH17, and has offered a series of alternative explanations for the plane's downing."In the last days before the hearings everything was done to fill the gaps in the evidence presented and to camouflage the falsification of the facts of this version in advance," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
Girkin, 49, also known by his pseudonym"Strelkov", is the most high-profile suspect -- a former Russian spy and historical re-enactment fan who helped kickstart the war in Ukraine. Dubinsky, 57, who has also been tied to Russian intelligence, allegedly served as the separatists' military intelligence chief while Pulatov, 53, was an ex-Russian special forces soldier and one of Dubinsky's deputies.If found guilty, the four suspects could be handed life sentences.
"For me, the most important thing is will there be enough evidence that the judge can make a conclusion -- guilty. If that's the case, then I will be satisfied," said Anton Kotte, another family member attending the hearing.
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