A representative of the so-called “Ministry of Defense of DPR,” Edward Basurin, claimed on June 2 that their militants did not have any BUK missile on July 17, 2014, when the Malaysian Boeing was shot down while flying over Donbas. This statement was made after a report by experts of the Russian company Almaz-Antey claimed that the plane was shot down by a BUK-M1. Basurin’s account was reported by the Russian agencies RIA News and Interfax, News of the Donetsk Republic and Russia Today also carried the story.
However, even before July 17, 2014, media reported the presence of BUK missiles in the so-called “republics.” On June 29, 2014, the Russian news agency RIA News related that the militants had seized an area where the BUK anti-aircraft missile systems were located. Vesti, NTV and other agencies also reported it.
Thus, the militants had the missiles at least 18 days before the tragedy.
Earlier, Russian media actively spread the claim that the Malaysian plane was shot down by a Ukrainian fighter jet.
