A memorial for MH17

It was a normal flight. No warnings via radio, no equipment malfunction on board, no Ukrainian fighter jet nearby, as some had suspected. On July 17 at 1:20 p.m. and two seconds, Flight MH17 was still heading toward a vacation paradise. A second later the plane was a wreck, dropping from a height of 10 kilometers (33,000 feet) to crash on a battlefield in eastern Ukraine. All 298 people on board died when a normal flight ended in disaster.

The official report on the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, presented by experts in The Hague on Tuesday, is technical, not political. And yet the political aspect resonates. The report describes the plane as having been pierced by a large number of "high-speed objects." The word "rocket" is not mentioned, but independent experts have long since moved past the question of if rockets were fired and are now trying to decide specifically which Russian-built rocket was fired at the aircraft. The prime suspect is the BUK M-1 missile.

Too controversial?

The gap in the report is extremely unsatisfying, but perhaps a clear identification that the weapon used was considered to be too politically explosive. Because if those technical details are publically stated, then the facts that have now been acknowledged by everyone, except the Kremlin - namely, that Russia-backed separatists shot down an airliner with its 298 passengers - then, the already difficult path toward a normalization of relations with Russia will become even more so.

The MH17 disaster marked the moment when the European Union banded together and imposed sanctions against a country on which many Europeans rely for energy. Even if the desired effect has so far failed to materialize, it was a feat that many didn't expect from the bureaucratic and slow-moving EU. But the memory of that terrible event has faded with time. Tougher sanctions, as good as adopted, were postponed on Monday - once again. The wound has closed, even if those responsible are still at large in eastern Ukraine.

Seconds to death

Despite its shortcomings, Tuesday's report should serve as a reminder to the EU about what is happening just outside its borders: a creeping invasion reminiscent of war. Russian President Vladimir Putin is no longer a partner, but a neo-imperial, cold-blooded dictator. And his henchmen in Ukraine won't hesitate to draw Europeans into their conflict if they stray too close.

What this means is obvious to anyone connected with the victims of MH17. It's here that the report has its true effect, with destiny rewritten among the many technical terms. Among the passengers was Bryce Fredriksz, 23, from Rotterdam. His mother read the experts' report as soon as it was published, even though it was difficult to read about "the death of one's own child." Her main conclusion: "I'm glad it only lasted a few seconds."