SURELY there can be no doubt in the mind of any right-thinking person that Russia was somehow involved in shooting down the Malaysian airliner.

President Putin has made it his goal to raise Russia’s international stature, but he is his efforts are being thwarted by his inability to grasp that people in the West are not as easily duped as his own population.

Lying, mMacho posturing and having other people fight his battles for him are the principal weapons in his depleted armoury.

The international community has cut him a lot of slack up until now, but it is about time he was held accountable for his actions. Russia needs the world more than the world needs Russia.

Andy Baldock, Villa Grove, Haworth Green,York.