Russian veterans group to display fragment of Malaysian plane shot down over Ukraine

MOSCOW – A Russian veterans organization is planning to display a piece of the Malaysia Airlines passenger jet shot down over Ukraine at a museum.

The fragment was given to veterans organization Boyevogo Bratstva in the town Yeisk by residents near the crash site as a sign of respect, the head of the group, Finat Shaikhulin told the Ekho Moskvy radio station Tuesday.

It will be displayed alongside Russian military history items.

Controversy continues over who shot down the plane last summer, killing all 298 people aboard. Ukraine and the West suspect it was destroyed by a Russian surface-to-air missile fired by Russian forces or Russia-backed separatist rebels who were fighting in the area. Russia denies that, and state-run television has suggested it was downed by a Ukrainian fighter jet.