Three years after Flight MH17 was shot down by a missile over war-torn Ukraine, more than 2,000 relatives gather Monday to unveil a "living memorial" to their loved ones.

Teary-eyed families of Malaysians killed when a Malaysia Airlines jet was shot down over Ukraine on Thursday demanded those responsible be brought to justice, ahead of the third anniversary of the disaster.

Malaysia and member countries of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) are continuing discussions on two prosecution options in seeking justice in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines' MH17 in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

The United States welcomed Wednesday the preliminary results of a criminal inquiry into the downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine, saying it supported Washington's suspicions of Russian involvement.

Malaysia will consider the option of prosecuting the party responsible for downing MH17 after completion of the investigation being conducted by the Joint Investigation Team comprising the Netherlands, Malaysia, Australia, Belgium and Ukraine.

The families of the 298 people who died when flight MH17 was downed over Ukraine are steeling themselves for a slew of bitter legal battles, on the eve of the tragedy's second anniversary.

Initial results from a criminal inquiry into the downing of a Malaysia Airlines flight over war-torn eastern Ukraine nearly two years ago will be available within months, Dutch prosecutors have said.

Malaysia and the other four member states of the Joint Investigation Team or JIT are waiting for the completion of the criminal probe into the shootdown of Flight MH17 before filing charges.

The Netherlands has received "all available information from the United States" for the inquiry into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine nearly two years ago, the chief investigator said Monday.

Following is the chronology of developments in 2015 on the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 that vanished on March 8, 2014, and MAS Flight MH17 that was shot down over Ukraine on July 17, 2014.