Disinfo: No evidence presented by JIT on MH17, only a colorful video based on information fabricated by bloggers from the Bellingcat agency

Summary

No evidence has been presented except for a colorful video based on information fabricated by bloggers from the Bellingcat agency, who were earlier caught distorting facts to prove Russia’s alleged involvement in the MH17 crash.

Disproof

No evidence given for the claims. Many competing and contradictory stories promulgated by Russian state-controlled media on MH17. euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-cases/?text=mh17&disinfo_issue=&date=,

The Joint Investigation Team has concluded that flight MH17 was shot down on 17 July 2014 by a missile of the 9M38 series, launched by a BUK-TELAR, from farmland in the vicinity of Pervomaiskiy (or: Pervomaiskyi). At that time, the area was controlled by pro-Russian fighters. The BUK-TELAR was brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation and subsequently, after having shot down flight MH-17, was taken back to the Russian Federation. https://www.om.nl/onderwerpen/mh17-crash/@96068/jit-flight-mh17-shot/

24 May 2018, JIT stated that the BUK-TELAR that was used to down MH17 originates from the 53rd Anti Aircraft Missile brigade, a unit of the Russian army from Kursk in the Russian Federation. The JIT reached this conclusion after extensive comparative research. Several images of the BUK-TELAR with which MH17 was downed are available. Analysis of those produces a number of characteristics. The combination of those is so special that that can be considered as a fingerprint. This fingerprint has been compared with numerous images of BUK-TELARS, both Ukrainian and Russian ones. The only BUK-TELAR on which this combination of characteristics also was found, is a BUK-TELAR that was recorded several times when it joined a convoy of the 53rd brigade on 23 – 25 June 2014. www.om.nl/onderwerpen/mh17-crash/@103196/update-criminal-0/,

Furthermore, a joint international open source investigation led by Bellingcat has identified conclusively that the person of interest known as ‘Andrey Ivanovich’ or ‘Orion’ whose identity is sought by the Joint Investigating Team in connection with the criminal investigation into the downing of MH17, is in fact Russian citizen Oleg Vladimirovich Ivannikov. Ivannikov was an officer of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Ministry of Defence (GRU), and served in that function until at least as late as September 2017. During his undercover deployment to LNR, he coordinated and supervised the military activities of Russian militants, pro-Russian separatists and “private army” contingents from the Wagner group. Ivannikov also supervised the procurement and transport of weapons across the Russia Ukraine border. He held these functions at the time of the downing of MH17. www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2018/05/25/mh17-russian-gru-commander-orion-identified-oleg-ivannikov/,

The European Union an NATO have called on the Russian Federation to accept its responsibility and to fully cooperate with all efforts to establish accountability www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2018/05/25/declaration-by-the-high-representative-on-behalf-of-the-eu-on-the-findings-of-the-joint-investigation-team-on-the-downing-of-flight-mh17/, www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_154585.htm,

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. www.government.nl/latest/news/2018/05/25/mh17-the-netherlands-and-australia-hold-russia-responsible,

The US have supported the decisions by the Netherlands and Australia twitter.com/statedeptspox/status/1000039780384755712,

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 109
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 24/05/2018
  • Outlet language(s) English
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: The Netherlands, Ukraine, Russia
  • Keywords: War in Ukraine, MH17
see more

Disinfo: Ukraine is becoming a testing ground for Western medical companies

U.S. based pharmaceutical companies have been approved by the Ukrainian Ministry of Health to conduct experiments on children, according to order 928.

Disproof

No evidence given. Ukraine is often described in pro-Kremlin disinformation as a testing ground for different things, e.g as becoming a nuclear dump site for the West euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-cases/?text=Ukraine+nuclear&disinfo_issue=&date=,

Venezuelan TV channel Telesur and RT are known to cooperate to provide an "alternative" world view www.rt.com/news/245381-rt-telesur-venezuela-news/,

Disinfo: Ukraine plans to separate Crimea from the mainland by a navigable canal

Ukraine began to develop a project to build a navigable canal across the Perekop Isthmus, which supposedly should separate the occupied Crimea from the mainland of Ukraine. This project is being developed by Ukrgidroproekt.

Disproof

According to Stopfake.org, Ukrgidroproekt denies any development of the construction of a navigable channel. Furthermore, the chief engineer attributed to the company, had never worked in Ukrgidroproekt. Further debunking at Stopfake www.stopfake.org/fejk-ukraina-nachala-razrabotku-proekta-otdeleniya-ot-kryma-sudohodnym-kanalom/,

Disinfo: Handbook for Journalists Covering World Cup is Russophobia

“The initiative that seems to be useful at first glance and aimed at helping sports observers cover the main football event occurring every four years actually turned out to be nothing but more Russophobia, trivial anti-Russian stereotypes.”

Disproof

Russophobia is a common explanation to criticism towards Russia in pro-Kremlin disinformation euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-cases/?text=Russophobia&disinfo_issue=&date=, , euvsdisinfo.eu/the-russophobia-myth-appealing-to-the-lowest-feelings/, The Russian Foreign Ministry said the handbook for journalists covering this year’s World Cup, which will be held next month in Russia, is “nothing but more Russophobia” and a “collection of trivial anti-Russian stereotypes.” The handbook was produced by the Norwegian Helsinki Commission, together with other global rights watchdog groups, including Amnesty International and the Human Rights Foundation. The Norwegian Helsinki Commission is part of the human rights monitoring network within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. What Zakharova calls a “collection of trivial anti-Russian stereotypes” is actually a collection of facts documenting abuses of rights and freedoms committed by the Russian state -- both during preparations for the 2018 World Cup and more broadly -- as well as racist behavior by Russian soccer fans. Futher debunking by Polygraph.info