MH17 Investigators Video With Buk Missile Launcher ‘Fabrication’ - Expert

A video released by the Dutch-led team of experts investigating the July 2014 Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash in eastern Ukraine showing a Buk missile launcher, which allegedly shot down the plane, is yet another Western attempt to fabricate “pseudo-evidence” against Russia, military expert Igor Korotchenko said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Monday, international investigators probing the crash published a video of a Buk missile system reportedly pictured on the day of the plane crash.

The video also features alleged intercepts of militants discussing the Buk’s movements, arguing that the missile launcher was moved out of Ukraine in the direction of Russia right after the shooting. The investigators also said they are looking for witnesses for further information on the missile launcher.

“This is a part of the mass lie and disinformation campaign against Russia, and yet another fabrication of pseudo-evidence and a search for false witnesses, which the video pushes for,” Korotchenko who is the director of the Moscow-based think tank Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade (CAWAT) said in an interview with Rossiya-1 TV channel.

On July 17, 2014, Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur crashed in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. A preliminary report said it likely broke up in mid-air after high-energy objects penetrated the fuselage.

The United States and Ukraine were quick to accuse eastern Ukrainian militia of downing flight MH17 with a Russia-made Buk missile system. Kiev, however, could not provide any evidence for this assertion. The local independence supporters have assured they do not have weapons capable of shooting down a plane flying at 32,000 feet.

Korotchenko argued that the video was a clear indication that independent, transparent investigation results do not exist.

“This is the same Buk, being transferred through the settlement controlled by Ukrainian armed forces at that time. It can be clearly seen at the advertisement panel – this is the city of Krasnoarmeysk, which was under Ukrainian control, and, of course, no military vehicle could have crossed that territory without permission from Ukrainian official military authorities,” Korotchenko said.

The expert wondered why prosecutors are completely ignoring Russian data showing that Ukrainian aircraft defense systems were located in the vicinity of the MH17 crash.

Korotchenko said that the Ukrainian Security Service and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry comprise special units, which work on fabricating forgeries and focus on information warfare. He added that US servicemen who have experience in conducting cyber operations often act as advisers.

Korotchenko said that the Buk from the video had been made in the USSR that meant that the Ukrainian army had received a lot of those systems after the Soviet Union collapsed. At the same time, the Russian army no longer uses such outdated Buks.