Malaysia Airlines MH17: Pro-Russian Rebels Perform Autopsies on Crash Victims

Pro-Russian rebels in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, who are believed to have shot down the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, are said to be performing autopsies on dozens of crash victims.

The armed separatists moved at least 38 bodies of the victims of the doomed flight, Kiev has said.

"They were preventing access by the international community and foreign governments to the location of the crash. The government was informed that the terrorists moved 38 bodies of the victims to the morgue in Donetsk, where the 'experts' with Russian accent claimed that they intend to perform autopsies," read a statement on Ukraine's government website.

"The terrorist groups are also seeking to obtain large cargo transport to move the remnants of the aircraft to Russia."

Ever since the crash, the separatists have been accused of hampering the ongoing investigation.

About 30 international monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) who are in Ukraine to investigate the crash, have been denied full access to the area.

"This is unacceptable and an affront to all those who lost loved ones and to the dignity the victims deserve," said US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki in a statement following reports that the victims' bodies and the remnants of the aircraft are being taken away by the separatists in a bid to destroy evidence.

In one instance, the OSCE experts were even fired at, although none of them were injured. Later, it emerged that it was a warning shot.

A rebel commander is reported to have told the OSCE monitors they have not touched the crash site and that the flight's black box is still missing.