Pro-Russian separatists hand over bodies, black boxes from MH17 to international community

Separatists in Ukraine have released the bodies of the dead from flight MH17 to Dutch authorities, and handed over the flight's recorders to Malaysian officials.

The agreement was reached after the personal intervention of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. Razak spoke personally with Alexander Borodai, the prime minister of the breakaway Donetsk People's Republic, to secure the black boxes and remains of the dead, according to a statement on Razak's Facebook page.

The agreement also provided for the transfer of the remains from the small village of Torez to the town of Lugasnk. The bodies will travel by train, where they have been stored for the last few days, before they are transferred to the custody of representatives from the Netherlands.

The agreement between Borodai and Razak also allowed for the safe, free access of independent investigators to the various sites where the wreckage of MH17 fell throughout eastern Ukraine.

In his statement, Razak stated that while words are good progress, they must also be backed by action.

Razak ended his post by saying, "My heart reaches out to those whose loved ones were lost on MH17. We hope and pray that the agreement reached tonight helps bring them a clear step towards closure."

Reuters reports that prosecutors in the Netherlands have opened war crime investigations into the crash. It also notes that because the vast majority of victims were Dutch, any action taken by the European Union as far as sanctions are concerned will rely on what the Dutch feel is an appropriate response.

While Europe and the Dutch have their own retribution in mind for Russia, if Australia does not feel that the investigation is satisfactory, or Russia has cooperated enough, Australia may ban Russian President Vladimir Putin from attending the upcoming G20 meeting in Sydney.