Disinfo: Errors and lack of evidence in the investigation of the MH17 case

Summary

The investigation of the MH17 case can hardly be called objective because, from the very beginning, the Dutch experts made a large number of mistakes. Therefore you cannot trust the results of their activities. The investigation did not offer anything new, but rather, it came across as “outright fakes”.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about MH17, involving an attempt to discredit the Joint International Investigation (JIT) and the criminal trial that is underway in the Hague. The article doesn't provide any evidence of the alleged fakes or "mistakes" of the JIT investigation. The special team known as the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was established to conduct the criminal inquiry into the downing of flight MH17. The JIT comprises officials from the Dutch Public Prosecution Service and the Dutch police, along with police and criminal justice authorities from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine. After years of painstaking investigation, the JIT has concluded that flight MH17 was shot down on 17 July 2014 by a BUK-TELAR missile of the 9M38 series, from farmland in the vicinity of Pervomaiskiy (or: Pervomaiskyi). At that time, the area was controlled by Russian armed formations. The BUK-TELAR missile was brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation and subsequently, after being used to shoot down flight MH17, was taken back to the Russian Federation. The JIT concluded that the BUK-TELAR used to down MH17 originates from the 53rd Anti Aircraft Missile brigade, a unit of the Russian army from Kursk in the Russian Federation. On the basis of the JIT investigation, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service is prosecuting three Russians and one Ukrainian for shooting down MH17 and murdering all 298 persons on board: Igor Vsevolodovich Girkin, Sergey Nikolayevich Dubinskiy, Oleg Yuldashevich Pulatov, and Leonid Volodymyrovych Kharchenko. The first session of the court proceedings started on the 9th of March in the Hague. The European Union and NATO have called on the Russian Federation to accept its responsibility and to fully cooperate with all efforts to establish accountability. On the basis of the JIT’s conclusions, the Netherlands and Australia are convinced that Russia is responsible for the deployment of the BUK installation that was used to down MH17. The two governments are formally holding Russia accountable. Read similar cases such as: "The trial in The Hague on flight MH17 is based on Ukraine's fakes" and "The JIT builds all its conclusions on doubtful data".

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 198
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 13/05/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Malaysia, The Netherlands, Ukraine, Russia
  • Keywords: fake news, MH17
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Disproof

This disinformation message is consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Western moral decay, as well as about imposing on countries international conventions and laws that destroy the moral foundations of traditional societies. Armenian Parliament has ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, also known as “the Lanzarote Convention”. The Convention requires criminalisation of all kinds of sexual offences against children. It sets out that states in Europe, and beyond, shall adopt specific legislation and take measures to prevent sexual violence, to protect child victims and to prosecute perpetrators. Armenia has signed the convention in 2010. The Convention is a major step forward in the prevention of sexual offences against children, the prosecution of perpetrators and the protection of child victims. The protection of children is at the heart of this convention. It focuses throughout on respect for children’s rights, ensuring their well-being, responding to their views, needs and concerns, and acting at all times in their best interests. All 47 Council of Europe member states have signed and 45 states have ratified the Convention. See a similar case claiming that officials, connected to child molestation, are behind the Lanzarote convention and that Lanzarote Convention is about defiling children.

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Disproof

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Disproof

Conspiracy theory with no evidence offered. This article is based on recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about George Soros. The other part of the disinformation message is about the Bill on defence procurement. This law has not entered into force in Ukraine yet: on May 13, the Verkhovna Rada sent its draft for a second reading. The Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Razumkov believes this law will be passed during the second reading. Experts say that the key point of this law is the reduction of corruption risks by introducing greater competition. According to Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence Oleksandr Zavitnevych, the bill will be an important step in further reforming Ukraine's security and defence sector. Regarding the claims about George Soros, it's ridiculous to suggest one person can 'gain control' of a sovereign state. Ukraine is a democracy and the electorate decides who is "in control". Mr Soros did found the "Open Society Foundation", inspired by Karl Popper’s concept of the “open society”, which aims to promote civil society, the rule of law, human rights and liberal democracy around the world by funding civil society groups. The International Renaissance Foundation is a Ukrainian NGO founded by Soros; it played an important role in supporting civil society during the Euromaidan protests. The foundation ensured that legal aid was made available throughout the crisis to civic activists, protesters, and journalists; supplied victims of violence with medical care; enabled civil society solidarity and organisation; supported channels like Hromadske TV in independent, live reporting about events on the Maidan; and documented cases of torture, beatings, and police and abuse by the courts. However this in no way can be linked to taking control of a society or country. Read more about how the pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets target George Soros. Read similar cases claiming that George Soros will buy all banks and land in Ukraine and that Ukraine is now a colony of the IMF and George Soros.