Who Shot Down MH17? Hillary Clinton, John McCain Say It Has To Be Pro-Russian Rebels

Senator John McCain, and Hillary Clinton have aligned in their opinions regarding the MH17 attack that occurred on Thursday. Despite the confusion following the United States conclusion that a missile did in fact shoot down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet, McCain’s message was clear. If the Russians shot down MH17, it was their President's fault. According to CNN, it is still unclear who shot down the passenger jet, carrying 295 people, which crashed in a rebel-controlled part of eastern Ukraine. McCain didn’t mince words in an interview at the "Politics on Tap" event in Washington, stating that if the Russian government was responsible or the pro-separatist forces in Ukraine shot down the jet, Russian President Vladimir Putin is ultimately responsible for the tragic MH17 crash.

"I think he is responsible," McCain told CNN's Jake Tapper and National Journal's Ron Fournier at the event, which took place on Thursday. "I mean it wasn't Vladimir Putin that pushed the button to launch the missile, but the whole scenario, including the buildup of Russian troops across the border ... I think that he gave them material and the wherewithal to do it - or facilitated that - and facilitated a situation that was very possible for them to do it."

Like the Arizona Republican, Hillary Clinton asserted her outright beliefs in an interview with Charlie Rose that aired on Thursday night following the crash. In the interview, Clinton claims that the MH17 attack can “probably” be blamed on the pro-Russian rebels. However the politician did admit that investigations are still ongoing, and there is no confirmed word on the cause, or reasoning for the missile being shot at the passenger jet, but she did state the evidence, at least early on, indicates pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

"Who had the equipment? It's obviously an anti-aircraft missile," she said in the interview with Charlie Rose. "The Ukrainian government has been quick to blame it on terrorists, which is their name for the Russian insurgents, and there does seem to be some growing awareness that it probably had to be Russian insurgents." Clinton continued stating that if the separatists did have anti-aircraft missiles, then weapons were most likely supplied by Russia.

Despite these claims by both McCain and Clinton, Putin places blame away from him and the pro-Russian separatists, and states that Ukraine's military campaign against the separatists is to blame for the crash. "This tragedy would not have happened, if there had been peace on that land, or in any case, if military operations in southeastern Ukraine had not been renewed," Putin said in televised remarks. "And without a doubt the government of the territory on which it happened bears responsibility for this frightening tragedy."