Right now the sanctions so far are affecting Russia's economy but until Europe can find an alternative source to Russian gas, it will be nothing serious.
I'm very sure that Russia is not involved in this situation, though, as much as it seems Western media wants it to be.
If it were the Russian separatists though, Russia will partially be held responsible since a mere rebellion doesn't have the tools to bring down an airplane. They need rocket launchers for that, and they most likely got those from Russia who is still supplying them up until this day.
Putin also said that 'this would not have happened if Ukraine would've stopped fighting'. In other words: 'if Ukraine just accepted that we were taking over their country, this wouldn't have happened'. The black box was also on it's way to Moscow for 'independent research'.
I really thing the pro-Russian separatists did this, and then Russia will be partially held responsible. They supply the rebels and support them in many ways.
There were reports that the rebels captured a
Ukrainian BUK Anti-Air missile systems during a raid recently, the same missile system suspected being used. Russian made, yeah, but if we're going to blame Russia for it we should be blaming US for ISIS in Iraq too. It would be a major escalation in the conflict, far more than just petty AK's and MANPADS.
Is Putin supplying the rebels? Well we know there is a small number of Russians coming over the border to fight and we know there is also Chechens. Thing is, we don't know if they are there on their own free will or not but we do know Russia is at least supplying small-arms.
Putin's gonna say some pl***, but he isn't the one who started it. Eastern and Western Ukraine is like 2 different pieces of entirely different puzzles, East being very ethnically Russian. It just so happens the rebels are Russians who want to follow suit with Crimea.
It was most certainly the separatists who did it and while Russia may be somewhat guilty for the escalation in the area, I'm not entirely sure I would put the blood on their hands for this. Those were not Russians troops that stupidly fired Anti-Air missiles at civilian airliners. I mean, the West did the same in Libya, Iraq and Syria yet we don't seem to hold anyone to blame for the pl***shows that those turned into.