Tucked in the corner of a leafy square, is this the Russian missile launcher that blasted flight MH17 out of the sky?
- Expert believes that MH17 was downed by a missile fired from rebel-held Torez in eastern Ukraine
- Downing Street supports claims the missile was launched from Torez by 'pro-Russian separatists'
- BUK launcher has been pictured rumbling into the town just two hours before the crash
- Ukraine’s security agency, the SBU, has released recordings of intercepted phone calls
- Claim they prove Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down by a group of Russian-backed Cossack militants
- Neither recording - which allegedly includes a Russian military intelligence officer - could be independently verified
- Laughing rebels filmed the plane as it crashed, gleefully bragging 'that was a blast – look at the smoke!'
- Hillary Clinton said that there 'should be outrage in European capitals' over the downing of the airliner
- Expert claims that pilot of MH17 'felt uncomfortable' about his route over Ukraine but diverted to hostile airspace
- Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported the crash at 16.13 Moscow time - 'several minutes before the crash'
Lurking
near blocks of Soviet-era flats, this is said to be the BUK rocket
launcher just two hours before it blasted Flight MH17 out of the sky.
The four missiles on the tank-like vehicle were covered with camouflage sheeting while it waited under a tree.
Experts have pieced together a series of sightings of the machine to gather evidence of Russian collusion in the atrocity.
Scroll down for video
Suspicious: Ukrainian spies reportedly
filmed the launcher used in the attack being smuggled to Russia - with
two missiles missing
A view of what is believed to be a BUK surface-to-air missile battery being driven along a path on July 17 in Torez, Ukraine
Launch site? The BUK missile system photographed in Torez hours before MH17 was downed
Russian air defense missile system BUK
M2 seen at a military show at the international forum in Zhukovsky
outside Moscow, in 2010
A picture taken later shows an
identical rocket launcher – on a low-loader and lacking two of its
missiles – being smuggled in the direction of Russia.
It was suggested last night that the BUK will never be seen again.
Pentagon experts on Friday said it was impossible to imagine that the missile could not have been fired without Russian help.
Rear
Adm. John Kirby said: 'It strains credulity to think that it could be
used by separatists without at least some measure of Russian support and
technical assistance.'
The first photo was taken in a residential neighbourhood of Torez, a coal-mining town ten miles from the crash site.
The
BUK was pictured in a leafy corner next to a car park, near some
Soviet-era apartment blocks. The peaceful scene, in the summer sunshine,
belies the horror that soon followed.
The second picture appears to come from a video shot as the rocket launcher was on its way to fire the deadly missile.
Rumbling slowly along an empty road, the launcher was filmed from a few hundred yards away.
It was said to be driving toward a known pro-Russian defensive position – possibly the launch site.
A pro-Russian militant passes by the wreckage of a Boeing 777, of Malaysia Arilines flight MH17 debris
Finally, another video appeared online, this time said to be showing the machine being spirited away after the attack.
Allegedly
filmed by a Ukrainian intelligence agent, it shows a glimpse of the
rocket launcher on the back of a low-loader lorry, travelling much
faster than it could on its caterpillar tracks.
Now
being driven south – toward Russia – it seems to be missing two of its
four rockets, suggesting MH17 could have been downed by a double missile
strike.
There have been no
further sightings, and Ukrainian officials are convinced the BUK will
never be seen again. One Kiev official, Anton Gerashchenko, said: ‘In
the night, the BUK system from which the missile was launched was
removed to Russia, where it is likely to be destroyed.’
He
added he thought the ‘direct performers of the terrorist attack’ would
also have been killed to avoid any witnesses. Yesterday Dr Igor
Sutyagin, research fellow in Russian studies at the Royal United
Services Institute, said he believed MH17 was shot down by rebels based
in Torez.
He added: ‘These
separatists boasted on Twitter about capturing a BUK SA11 missile
launcher on June 29, and several hours before the downing of the plane,
locals in Torez reported seeing BUK missile launchers and separatist
flags around the city.
'Later,
there was lots of video posted of the plane falling down and rebels
saying that “it was not pointless moving it [the BUK] there”.’
Speculation over the source of the
missile, which remains unconfirmed, has sparked a propaganda battle
between both sides of the Ukraine-Russia crisis.
Officials in Kiev have made repeated statements linking the attack to pro-Russian separatists.
Tonight, Downing Street supported the
claims with a statement to say it appears 'increasingly likely that
MH-17 was shot down by a separatist missile' fired from near Torez, an
area controlled by pro-Russian rebels.
Dr
Sutyagin said a Russian former special forces chief had said the
separatists did not have the expertise to operate the missile launchers.
He then underscored the emerging Russian link to the tragedy.
He
said: 'The military leader of the Donetsk Republic, Igor Strelkov, real
name Girkin, a Muscovite, a Russian citizen, posts a video of the
intercept.'
This video was taken down once it was discovered that the downed plane was civilian.
The
expert implicated Russia further, revealing that the former commander
of Russian Air Force Special Operations Command, a Colonel-General,
stated recently in an interview that the separatists did not have the
expertise to operate the BUK launchers, that only Russian personnel
could do so.
It's
also suspicious, Dr Sutyagin said, that Russian news agency RIA Novosti
reported the crash at 16.13 Moscow time, several minutes before the
crash actually happened - at 16.20.
'The plane is safely in the sky, and RIA Novosti publishes information that it has been shot down,' he said.
Dr
Sutyagin also told MailOnline that information had been leaked from a
source he was unwilling to name that the pilot of MH17 'felt bad' about
his course over Ukranian airspace, so turned south.
Little
did he know, according to Dr Sutyagin, that his plane would then be
mistaken by rebels for a Ukrainian government resupply flight.
He
said: 'There is a Ukrainian mechanised brigade blocked by separatists
near the Russian border. It's blocked on three sides by separatists and
behind the brigade is the Russian border, so they can't get out. The
Ukrainians try to resupply them from the air by transport aircraft.
'Now,
the pilot of MH17 said that he "felt bad" and wanted to change course
to get out of the danger zone. But several kilometers to the south is a
Ukrainian Army heavy transport plane, an IL76, or Candid, which has the
same echo as a 777 on a radar screen.
'The
two planes came close. They tried to shoot down the transport
delivering supplies to the brigade. They believed that they had been
firing at a military plane, but they mistakenly shoot down a civilian
airliner.'
Interpol announced today it would fully assist the investigation of the horror.
Separatist
rebels who control the crash site issued conflicting reports Friday
about whether they had found the plane's black boxes or not.
'No
black boxes have been found ... we hope that experts will track them
down and create a picture of what has happened,' said Donetsk separatist
leader Aleksandr Borodai.
Admission of guilt or not? In a recording of an
intercept, played to journalists, a Russian (military intelligence
officer) called Igor Bezler (left and right) is heard reporting on the
downing of the Boeing 777-200 to his superior in Russian military
intelligence, Colonel Vasily Geranin (not pictured here)
Yet
earlier Friday, an aide to the military leader of Borodai's group said
authorities had recovered eight out of 12 recording devices.
Since
planes usually have two black boxes - one for recording flight data and
the other for recording cockpit voices - it was not clear what the
number 12 referred to.
Earlier
Ukrainian security services claim to have intercepted two phone
conversations in which pro-Russian separatists appear to admit to
shooting down Flight MH17, railing, 'They shouldn’t be f*****g flying.
There is a war going on.'
The
Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reportedly released recordings of the
intercepted phone calls between Russian military intelligence officers
and Russian-backed Cossack militants to the Kiev Post.
The
phone calls, which could prove damning to Vladimir Putin, are allegedly
from minutes after the Boeing 777-200 crashed and were apparently made
near the village of Chornukhine, which is 50 miles north-west of
Donetsk, near to the border with Russia, where the aircraft came down.
The first phone call was reportedly made at 4.40pm local time, or 20 minutes after the crash.
On
the line allegedly is Igor Bezler, who according to the SBU is a
Russian military intelligence officer and commander of the
self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.
He
is apparently on the phone to a colonel in the Russian Federation armed
forces named Vasili Geranin, explaining that the plane has gone down.
The
SBU also released to the Kiev Post another telephone conversation
between two militants identified only as 'Major' and 'Grek' who have
apparently returned from the crash site.
This phone call takes place 40 minutes after the phone call which allegedly took place between Bezler and Geranin.
Stunned: Ukrainians inspect the wreckage of MH17
as coal miners, farmers and other volunteers help with the grisly task
of clearing up the crash sites after the Malaysia Airlines jet was shot
down by a surface-to-air missile over the east of the country
Decimated: A pro-Russian separatist looks at
wreckage from the nose section of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane
which was downed near the village of Rozsypne
A
third part of the conversation that involves the 'Major' and 'Grek'
seems to bring in Cossack commander Nikolay Kozitsin, who suggests that
the Malaysian Airlines plane must have been carrying spies, otherwise it
had no business flying in that airspace.
During
the phone call between 'Grek' and the 'Major' they exclaim, 'holy s***'
when they realize their error in shooting down a passenger jet.
Indeed,
Reuters reported that Ukraine's state security chief accused two
Russian military intelligence officers of involvement with pro-Russian
rebels in the downing of a Malaysian airliner on Thursday, releasing
chilling testimony of what he called an 'inhuman crime.'
SBU
chief Valentyn Nalivaychenko based his allegation on intercepted
telephone conversations between the two officers and pro-Russian
fighters, one of whom referred to seeing 'a sea of women and children'
in the wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777.
'We will
do everything for the Russian military who carried out this crime to be
punished,' Nalivaychenko told journalists, who were shown video and
audio transcripts of the recordings. 'The terrorists will not go on
dancing on corpses.'
In
a recording played to journalists of a conversation said to have taken
place at 4.33 pm Kiev time, a rebel fighter going by the nom de guerre
of 'Major' is heard telling another comrade called 'Grek' that a group
of fighters had brought the airliner down.
'The
plane broke up in the air, near the Petropavlovskaya mines. The first
(casualty) has been found. It was a woman. A civilian,' he says.
At 5.42 pm 'Major' acknowledges the plane was civilian: 'Hell. It's almost 100 percent certain that it's a civilian plane.'
Arrival: The self-proclaimed Prime Minister of
the pro-Russian separatist 'Donetsk People's Republic' Alexander Borodai
(centre) arrives on the site of the crash
Asked
if there were many people on board, he replies in the affirmative with a
swearword, adding: 'The bits (of the plane) were falling down in the
streets ... There were the bits of couches, chairs, bodies.'
Asked if any weapons were found on board, 'Major' says: 'No - Civilian things, medical things, towels, toilet paper.'
He says ID documents of an Indonesian student had been found.
In
another recording of an intercept, played to journalists, a Russian
(military intelligence officer) called Igor Bezler is heard reporting on
the downing to his superior in Russian military intelligence, Colonel
Vasily Geranin.
'A
plane has just been shot down. It was the 'Mine-laying' group ...
They've gone to search and photograph the plane. It is smoking,' Bezler
tells Gernanin at 4.40 p.m.
Asked 'How long ago?' he replies: 'About 30 minutes ago.'
THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF THE ALLEGED REBEL CONVERSATION THAT COULD PROVE DAMNING TO PUTIN AND RUSSIA
A
phone call between rebels where they are heard to say ‘holy s***’ when
they realized their error was intercepted by Ukraine’s security
services, according to a Ukrainian newspaper.
Militants
nicknamed ‘Major’ and ‘Greek’ were recorded speaking as ‘Major’
inspected the crash site and found only ‘civilian items’.
Also
on the line were Igor Bezler, who authorities says is a Russian
military intelligence officer and leading commander of the
self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, and a colonel in the main
intelligence department of the general headquarters of the armed forces
of the Russian Federation, Vasili Geranin.
The unverified transcript was posted online by the Kiev Post newspaper:
Igor Bezler: We have just shot down a plane. Group Minera. It fell down beyond Yenakievo (Donetsk Oblast).
Vasili Geranin: Pilots. Where are the pilots?
IB: Gone to search for and photograph the plane. Its smoking.
VG: How many minutes ago?
IB: About 30 minutes ago.
Allegations: This is a grab from the video
provided to the Kiev Post. Pictured are Igor Bezler and Vasili Geranin.
While (right) are likenesses of 'Major' and 'Grek'
SBU comment: After
examining the site of the plane the terrorists come to the conclusion
that they have shot down a civilian plane. The next part of the
conversation took place about 40 minutes later.
'Major':
These are Chernukhin folks who shot down the plane. From the Chernukhin
check point. Those cossacks who are based in Chernukhino.
'Grek': Yes, Major.
'Major':
The plane fell apart in the air. In the area of Petropavlovskaya mine.
The first '200'. We have found the first '200' - which is code for a
civilian.
'Grek': Well, what do you have there?
'Major': In short, it was 100 percent a passenger (civilian) aircraft.
'Grek': Are many people there?
'Major': Holy sh__t! The debris fell right into the yards (of homes).
'Grek': What kind of aircraft?
Official: A third part of the conversation that
involves the 'Major' and 'Greek' seems to bring in Cossack commander
Nikolay Kozitsin, who suggests that the Malaysian Airlines plane must
have been carrying spies
'Major':
I haven’t ascertained this. I haven’t been to the main sight. I am only
surveying the scene where the first bodies fell. There are the remains
of internal brackets, seats and bodies.
'Grek': Is there anything left of the weapon?
'Major': Absolutely nothing. Civilian items, medicinal stuff, towels, toilet paper.
'Grek': Are there documents?
'Major': Yes, of one Indonesian student. From a university in Thompson.
Militant:
Regarding the plane shot down in the area of Snizhne-Torez. It’s a
civilian one. Fell down near Grabove. There are lots of corpses of women
and children. The Cossacks are out there looking at all this.
They
say on TV it’s AN-26 transport plane, but they say it’s written
Malaysia Airlines on the plane. What was it doing on Ukraine’s
territory?
Nikolay Kozitsin: That means they were carrying spies. They shouldn’t be f…cking flying. There is a war going on.
In
a third conversation, a rebel fighter says: 'It turned out to be a
passenger plane. It fell in Hrabove area. There's a sea of women and
children ...'
He adds: 'But what was it (the Malaysian airlines flight) doing over Ukraine?'
The man he is talking to replies: 'That means they've called up spies. No way to flights. This is war.'
'Okay, understood,' he replies.
'They
discuss Russian saboteurs bringing down a passenger plane. They discuss
the number of victims. We have fixed this conversation as taking place
at 4.20. Now you know who carried out this inhuman crime against
humanity,' Nalivaychenko said.
'We
will open up to all possible channels, the means of this crime being
objectively investigated, and the officers of the Russian Federation who
carried out this crime being punished.'
Russia's
Interfax news agency quoted Donetsk rebel spokesman Sergey Kavtaradze
as denying that the intercepted phone conversations were genuine.
Yesterday
it emerged that rebels laughed as they filmed the plane crashing,
gleefully bragging ‘that was a blast – look at the smoke!’ while a
fireball rose from the debris.
One
of the voices is believed to be Strelkov, who then penned a triumphant
war cry on Twitter, saying: ‘We warned you – do not fly in 'our sky'.’
A
sickening mobile phone video posted online shows a pall of black smoke
billowing over the crash site as three rebels provide an excited
commentary.
The
extraordinary footage – apparently filmed by the shooters themselves –
charts the terrible final moments of the doomed airliner.
Their
camera does not zoom in enough to see the plummeting plane in the sky,
but the rebels’ voices can be heard talking happily of ‘black spots –
these are the parts flying’, suggesting it fell to earth in several
pieces.
A
voice believed to be that of Strelkov – dubbed ‘Igor the Terrible’ –
announces: ‘The plane was hit!’ He adds: ‘Look at those black spots,
these are the parts, flying … it was a blast … look, look, black smoke!’
Another rebel, possibly referring to the missile system, laughs and says: ‘It was worth bringing this thing, wasn't it?’
None
of the rebels can be seen in their horrific film, but it appears to be
genuine because at the time only they seemed to know what was happening.
Ordinary life carries on in the village where they are standing. A bus
trundles by and an unsuspecting villager is seen wandering past the
camera.
Shortly
after the passenger plane was downed, Strelkov – seen smirking in
propaganda photos – tweeted a boastful message claiming responsibility.
At
the time, he apparently believed he had shot down an Antonov-26
military plane of the Ukrainian Air Force, saying it landed near a mine
named Progress.
His chilling message read: ‘In the area Torez we just hit down An-26, it’s lying somewhere in the mine 'Progress'.
‘We warned you – do not fly in 'our sky'. And here is the video confirmation of the 'bird dropping'.
‘Bird fell near the mine, the residential sector was not disturbed. Civilians are not injured.’
Later as the horror became clear, the tweet was deleted.
Boast: Ukraine separatist Igor
Strelkov said on Twitter ‘We warned you – do not fly in 'our sky'. And
here is the video confirmation of the 'bird dropping'
Former
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said European leaders should put
more pressure on Mr Putin if Russia was involved in the incident.
She told PBS's
Charlie Rose there should be 'outrage in European capitals' over
Russian aggression in the region but ultimately it was up to Europe to
take the lead.
She
said: 'The questions I'd be asking is, number one, who could have shot
it down? Who had the equipment? It's obviously an anti-aircraft missile.
Who could have had the expertise to do that? Because commercial
airlines are big targets, but by the time they got over that part of
Ukraine they should have been high, so it takes some planning.
'And
the Ukrainian government has been quick to blame it on terrorists,
which is their name for the Russian insurgents. And there does seem to
be some growing awareness that it probably had to be Russian insurgents.
'Now,
how we determine that will require some forensics, but then if there is
evidence pointing in that direction, the equipment had to have come
from Russia. What more the Russians may or may not have done, we don't
know.
'Europeans
have to be the ones to take the lead on this. It was a flight from
Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur over European territory. There should be
outrage in European capitals.'
Mrs
Clinton endorsed stepped-up US sanctions against Russia but said they
would not 'necessarily restrain' Mr Putin or change his calculations.
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