The Ukranian government has uploaded an audio recording to YouTube which it claims definitively proves that Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shut down by pro-Russian separatists in the country’s disputed Eastern region.
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The flight, which went down late on Thursday, was flying over Ukrainian airspace as it made its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on-board, including three infants, perished in the crash.
In the immediate aftermath, the Ukranian government and the pro-Russian separatists blamed each other for the crash. Now it appears the former has been the first to make a major online move by uploading audio recordings, which it says includes a discussion between a separatist leader and a Russian intelligence agent about a plane being shut down.
The video also includes other recordings allegedly intercepted by Ukriane’s security agency, the SBU. Ukrainian publication the Daily Kyiv has posted a full transcription of the video.
Igor Bezler: We have just shot down a plane. Group Minera. It fell down beyond Yenakievo.
Vasili Geranin: Pilots. Where are the pilots?
IB: Gone to search for and photograph the plane. It’s smoking.
VG: How many minutes ago?
IB: About 30 minutes ago.
SBU: 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 shot down the plane. From the Chernukhin check point. Those cossacks who are based in Chernukhino.
“Greek”: Yes, Major.
“Major”: The plane fell apart in the air. In the area of Petropavlovskaya mine. The first “200” (code word for dead person). We have found the first “200”. A Civilian.
Greek: Well, what do you have there?
Major: In short, it was 100 percent a passenger (civilian) aircraft.
Greek: Are many people there?
Major: Holy sh*t! The debris fell right into the yards (of homes).
Greek: What kind of aircraft?
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.
Greek: Is there anything left of the weapon?
Major: Absolutely nothing. Civilian items, medicinal stuff, towels, toilet paper.
Greek: Are there documents?
Major: Yes, of one Indonesian student. From a university in Thompson. Fuck.
[In the final phone call included in the recording, a rebel checks in with a Cossack commander.]
Rebel: Regarding this plane that was downed in the Snizhne-Torez area. It turned out to be a passenger aircraft. It fell near Grabovo. A lot of bodies of women and children. Now the Cossacks are looking at all that.
Rebel: The TV said it was AN-26. A Ukrainian cargo plane. But Malaysia Airlines is written on it. What was it doing on Ukraine’s territory?
Cossack commander: It means they wanted to bring some spies to us. Fuck them. They should not fly, we are at war here.
At this stage, the authenticity of the recordings is unclear. Whether or not they’re valid though, it’s pretty interesting that the Ukranian government has chosen to put the recordings online and make them accessible to the public.
Image: Aero Icarus via Flickr.
