Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk said on Monday that rescuers have recovered 272 bodies from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.

"Two hundred seventy-two bodies have been found, and 251 of them are in refrigerators at Torez train station," Yatsenyuk told reporters at a news conference.

Ukraine stands ready to transfer the bodies of the victims to the Netherlands, Yatsenyuk said, adding that the government in Kiev "has no doubt" that the plane was hit by an anti-aircraft missile. He suggested that the Netherlands lead the investigation into the incident.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, with 298 people aboard, crashed on Thursday in eastern Ukraine. There were no survivors. Among the victims were 193 Dutch citizens.

The Ukrainian government and insurgents in the eastern region have traded barbs, accusing each other of being responsible for the incident and of hindering the investigation.

Xinhua

(China Daily 07/22/2014 page11)