Malaysia Airlines MH17: One year on, video footage of Russian-backed rebels emerge
A year has passed since the Malaysia Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down, killing 283 passengers and 15 crew on board. Despite all the evidence pointing the blame on Russian government-backed rebels in Donbass area, eastern Ukraine, Russia has so far denied any involvement. But a new video, filmed by the rebels themselves, is a latest in clear indications of who is responsible.
The Boeing 777-200ER airliner lost contact about 50 kilometers from the Ukraine – Russia border and crashed near Torez in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, 40 kilometers from the border.
The crash occurred during the ongoing war in Donbass, in an area controlled by the Russian rebels.
Although the Dutch Safety Board led investigation is currently ongoing and the final accident report is due in October, various intelligence sources have long claimed that the plane was shot down by pro-Russian insurgents using a Buk surface-to-air missile fired from the territory which they controlled.
The Western intelligence was also backed up by the Boris Nemtsov Report, issued after the assasination of Russian opposition politician. The report points out that shortly before the crash, Russian media said that the separatists had a Buk anti-aircraft missile system, which could have been only supplied by Russia.
News Corp Australia published a video on Friday, shot by the rebels themselves and showing the immediate aftermath of the shooting down of the flight. It reveals pro-Russian separatists on the scene, in a state of confusion.
Editor: S. Tambur