Ukraine releases transcripts, show rebels owned weapons allegedly behind MH17 crash

(Malay Mail Online) – Ukraine’s security service (SBU) has released transcripts of tapped phone calls that allegedly prove that pro-Russian separatists had in hand weapons that could shoot down the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH17 and the 298 people on board on Thursday.

In the report yesterday, the SBU listed the chronology of events, which included the Russian intelligence allegedly passing the Buk-M missile system to Kremlin-backed Ukrainian separatists — who control the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic – on the day MH17 went down.

SBU also claimed that it had footage showing the crossing of a Buk M — with one of its missiles missing — into Russia’s borders the day after the plane’s crash.

“The data we have allow us to state that the plane Boeing 777 was shot down by the Donetsk terrorists with the use of anti-missile system Buk M, which was transferred from Russia’s territory,” the spy agency was quoted by Ukraine’s English-language newspaper Kyiv Post as saying in a statement.

On July 17, the MH17 passenger jet had crashed at the conflict-ridden Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, near the borders of Russia.

The Ukrainian government and separatists are engaged in civil war.

According to the SBU, its counter-intelligence department found out that Russia had allegedly sent a BUK and a team to operate it over the border near the town of Sukhodolsk, with the transfer to Ukrainianrebels purportedly taking place at 1am local time.

Eight hours later, the Buk missile was moved to Donetsk and Pervomaisk, with a Russian military intelligence officer allegedly directing and discussing its movements with different members of the Donetsk rebels.

In the published transcripts of the tapped phone calls that were translated into English, the purported conversations are peppered with the words “Buk”.

In one July 17 call, a Donetsk militant named as Buryat speaks to Khmuryi — identified as Russian intelligence officer Sergei Nikolaevich Petrovskiy — of a Buk loaded on a tractor and its crew.

In the transcript published by KyivPost, Buryat told Khmuryi “Yes, yes, yes. ‘Buk’, ‘Buk’” when confirming that he was in Donetsk with the weapon.

In another call, Khmuryi tells his deputy Sanych — attached to the Donetsk rebels’ militant arm — about the Buk

“Sanych, the point is that my “BUK-M” (modified Russian SAM system) will go with yours, it is on a tug. Where should I drive it to put in a column?” he said in the transcript.

In a call on July 17 to a Russian intelligence officer identified only as Botsman, Khmuryi said the Buk-M had boosted the Ukraine rebels’ fight as they used it to shoot down the Ukraine army’s planes.

“What do you think? (The Ukrainian army is) attacking with ‘Grad’ (multiple-rocket launchers) all the time, finally now we’re having a little break. We’ve just hit a plane, Su-type. Because we’ve got Buk-M. They (Ukrainian soldiers are now in Zelenopillja, trying to break free, but their way out is only through me.

“Yesterday we hit 2 Su jets, today – another two. Thank God ‘Buk-M’ arrived today in the morning. It became easier. But in general, of course, it’s tough,” Khmuryi said in the transcript.

On July 18, 4.50am (Ukrainian time), the Ukraine Interior Ministry’s intelligence unit recorded a video of a tractor bearing a missile system headed towards the Russian borders, with one of its missiles missing.

Kyiv Post also reported yesterday Ukraine Interior Minister Arsen Avakov (pic) as claiming that the Ukraine rebels were “trying to hide evidence of the terrible crime”, saying that the government believes the missile system in the July 18 footage had shot down Flight MH17.

“We’re analyzing this and other collected information. We think this is the very Buk system which shot at the civilian plane flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur,” Avakov was quoted saying.

“The SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) and the Interior Ministry have collected and continue to collect irrefutable evidence and proof that point to the authors of this tragedy from the terrorist organization DNR/LNR (Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republic), and their Russian, Putinist masters,” Avakov said.