Even in the face of overwhelming forensic evidence, Moscow is denying that the missile that brought down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was of Russian origin. A Dutch-led investigation into the flight that left Amsterdam on July 17, 2014 has used satellite data, photographs, and telephone data to ascertain that the BUK surface-to-air missile system used in the attack was smuggled from Russia into the territory of pro-Moscow Ukrainian separatists, where the missiles were fired.

The missile system was then taken back into Russia, which indicates not only Russian involvement in the attack, but in its cover-up. Who believes you can easily smuggle vehicle-mounted missile systems back and forth across the Russian border with Ukraine, without the Kremlin finding out?

The investigators cannot be sure at this point exactly who ordered and carried out the strike, but the circumstances can only point to Russian involvement, which is why Moscow is trying to discredit the report. Russia’s defense ministry attempted to preempt the new information released Tuesday by releasing its own radar data that supposedly show the Ukrainian government was responsible. Russian officials have also complained about being prevented from “taking part in the process.”

Propaganda outlets such as Sputnik International have been offering counter-explanations, with one being that the (Russian) company that makes BUK missiles has contradicted the forensic evidence of the Dutch investigation. But mostly they are kicking up dust. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted in Sputnik: “Unfortunately, this whole story [unveils] against the backdrop of a great number of speculations, unqualified, unprofessional information. It is accompanied by concealment and countries not providing large amount of radar data.”

Moscow’s evidence does not appear to be persuading anyone.

While forensic evidence only continues to affirm Russian involvement in the deadly attack, it’s safe to predict that Moscow will continue with their absurd equivocations and denials.