Russia says it has evidence that implicates Ukraine in the Malaysia Airlines crash, whilst the United States implicates Russia in arming the Ukrainian rebels it says shot down MH17 last Thursday killing all 298 on board.
Sima Tsyskin from the SBS Russian program said the incident has sparked anti-American sentiment in Russia, as well as renewed suspicion of Russia in the United States.
"Around the last presidential elections, there was quite a bit of opposition to Putin. There were huge demonstrations in Moscow and St Petersburg ... this opposition largely has disappeared," Ms Tsyskin said.
Ms Tsyskin said the bulk of Russian media is helping the Kremlin wage a "propaganda war", which, along with Russian nationalism, is fuelling widespread support for the Russian government over MH17.
She adds Russians who've spoken with the SBS Russian program have also reported a high degree of anti-American sentiment.
"Some people on the streets (of Russia) said (those who shot down MH17) were Ukrainians instructed by the Americans because they see America and NATO especially as supporting Kiev."
Ms Tsyskin says the current tensions between Russia and the West can be compared to Cold War times.
She adds however that the downing of flight MH17 and the various other civilian casualties in the Ukrainian conflict have pushed the situation "at least one step further".
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