Ukraine apologises for jet crash

Tkachov, left and Kuzmuk, have offered their resignations over the crash

KIEV, Ukraine (CNN) -- The Ukrainian Minister of Defence has issued an apology for the crash of a Russian airliner which killed all 78 people on board.

Ukraine initially denied any responsibility for the crash of the Sibir Airlines Tu-154 aircraft, which dived into the Black Sea after an explosion.

On Friday it admitted the most favoured theory -- that a Ukrainian S-200 missile, fired during military exercises, shot down the plane -- was a possibility.

On Saturday Defence minister Oleksandr Kuzmuk apologised for Ukraine's role in the accident while still not admitting outright the missile theory.

Kuzmuk told a press conference: "I do apologise to the relatives of those who tragically perished and to the president, the government, the parliament and the people of Ukraine for the damage inflicted on the government of the state."

Kuzmuk, who had offered his resignation to President Leonid Kuchma after the tragedy, said that the cause of the crash had not yet been determined, "but we know we are involved."

He also said the Ukraine government had not tried to mislead the public about the crash.

"This reason (for the crash) will not be buried at the bottom of the Black Sea," he said. His resignation was rejected by Kuchma.

Also on Saturday, Vladimir Tachjov, the commander of Ukraine's Air Defence Force, and his deputy submitted their resignations to Kuchma, but it was not known if the president would accept them.

Vladimir Rushailo, head of the Russian commission investigating the crash, said on Friday that salvage workers had found metallic parts consistent with an S-200 missile, which showed unequivocally that the plane was downed "by the warhead of an anti-aircraft missile."

U.S. officials said immediately after the crash that they had evidence the passenger jet was hit by a Ukrainian missile.

Most of those who died on the Tel Aviv to Siberia flight were Russian immigrants who had settled in Israel.