Ukraine Security Service started a criminal investigation under article 258, Section 3 of Ukraine Criminal Code – terrorist act – in connection with the shooting down of the civilian passenger liner by the Buk anti-aircraft missile system, which resulted in the death of 298 persons – stated Valentyn Nalyvaychenko, Head of the Ukraine Security Service, during the press briefing at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “At the moment, Ukraine Security Service has established certain facts in connection with the crime committed on 17 July. The information gathered allows us to state that the Boeing 777 was shot down by the terrorists on Donbass territory, using the Buk anti-aircraft missile system. The available evidence, including the recordings of the conversations between the terrorists, allow us to point out two things: first, it was indeed Buk that crossed the border into our country shortly before the terrorist attack. And second, and this is very important, the terrorists themselves state that the crew of this Buk, along with the missile system, crossed over from the territory of the Russian Federation,” – he commented.
Mr. Nalyvaychenko stressed, “The main thing for us right now is to obtain from the Russian party during our investigation – including with the help of the international institutions, like the UN and the OSCE – the names of all three crew members who operated the Buk anti-aircraft missile system, and who personally pulled the trigger and launched a missile against the civilian passenger plane. This is a key detail to be clarified in the Ukrainian, as well as at this point in the international investigation.”
Also, essential is the disclosure of all evidence databases regarding the terrorists, as well as regarding the criminal actions of the border patrol officers and the FSB border patrol service of the Russian Federation, which assisted in the weapons transfer from their side of the border, including in the transfer of the Buk anti-aircraft missile system, which was used against the civilians of Europe, Malaysia and other countries. Valentyn Nalyvaychenko explained that as early as on 14 July Ukraine Security Service first received the information regarding the Buk anti-aircraft missile system being in possession of one of the terrorist groups, however this information was not confirmed at the time. On the morning of 17 July 2014, on the day of the tragedy, the counter-intelligence received the information, that the DNR rebels received at least one unit of Buk-M, together with the crew, which were transferred across the state border of Ukraine in Sukhodolsk district, around 1 am. At 9 am the missile unit arrived in Donetsk and later was transported to the town of Pervomaysk. Mr. Nalyvaychenko stated, “The terrorists are now trying to conceal their crime and transport the missiles, which remained unlaunched on this Buk anti-aircraft missile system back to the Russian Federation.”
Video evidence, presented by the Ukraine Security Service, can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRxyjhmvBewJIRb2yku5EuQ