Australia lost 27 of its citizens when Flight MH17 was shot out of the sky. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has personally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his cooperation in the international investigation. He’s also sent the man who led Australia’s failed search for MH370 to Kiev to help coordinate recovery efforts. Hannah Belcher report.

Across the country, Australian’s are mourning. In a population of just 24 million, it feels like everybody knows someone who died on flight MH17.

Irene Burrows and her husband George from Queensland have been left shell-shocked after a double dose of grief. They lost their son and daughter-in-law on MH370, and now more relatives on MH17.

Since the news broke about the downing of flight MH17, the Australian government has been the harshest critic of Russia. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has publicly and repeatedly blamed pro Russian rebels for the attack. He even phoned President Vladimir Putin on Sunday night.

“To President Putin’s credit, he did say all the right things. I want to stress that what he said was fine,” said Abbott. “The challenge now is to hold the president to his word, [and] that’s certainly my intention.”

However, Abbott is deeply concerned that the rebels remain in control of the crash site in east Ukraine. Australia is leading the push for a binding UN resolution demanding international access and a ceasefire around the area, and is considering whether to list the downing of flight MH17 as an act of terrorism.

Impact of Flight MH17 on Australia has Tony Abbott calling on Putin

Australia lost 27 of its citizens when Flight MH17 was shot out of the sky. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has personally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for his cooperation in the international investigation. He's also sent the man who led Australia's failed search for MH370 to Kiev to help coordinate recovery efforts. Hannah Belcher report.