Plane „MH-17"

The tragedy involving the plane "MH-17" occurred on Thursday, July 17, 2014, resulting in the death of 298 people.

The annexation of Crimea tarnished Russia's reputation and brought forth numerous sanctions and severe criticism on the international stage. As a result, Russia occupied further territories in Ukraine, namely Donetsk and Luhansk, without officially admitting to it. The Kremlin government officially stated that it was a separatist movement seeking to establish "Novorossiva" (New Russia) in Ukraine. Russia supported this "movement" through its private military organization called the "Wagner Group" and provided them with weapons, Russian intelligence officers and other necessary provisions. However, Russia claims that the newly formed "People's Republics" in Donetsk and Luhansk are only ideologically connected to Russia.

On June 17, 2014, a Buk missile shot down the plane "MH-17."

The Dutch Safety Board, leading the international investigation into the downing of MH17, concluded that the aircraft was shot down by a Buk missile fired by Russian forces. The Safety Board also determined that the missile was likely launched from a launcher that had been brought from Russia into Ukraine.

The Dutch Joint Investigation Team (JIT) identified four suspects, members of Russian-backed separatists (3 of them Russian citizens): Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov, and Leonid Kharchenko. The investigation focused on their role in the transportation and deployment of the missile.

The Dutch government urged Russia to cooperate with the investigation and hold those responsible accountable. However, Russia declined to cooperate with the investigation. The Russian government denies any involvement in the downing of MH17, claiming that the plane was shot down by a Ukrainian fighter jet. However, there is no evidence to support this claim

How did Ukraine reconstruct and present its narrative of the MH17 incident?

The Ukrainian government's narrative of the MH17 incident has been consistent from the beginning. The government emphasized that the plane was shot down by a Buk missile fired by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. The government also accused Russia of providing the Buk missile system to the separatists.

What happened during the MH17 downing?

At 4:20 p.m. local time (1:20 p.m. GMT), a Buk surface-to-air missile was fired southeast of MH-17 and exploded outside the aircraft, right above the cockpit. The explosion and shrapnel destroyed the cockpit, instantly killing the three crew members. It is possible that the left engine and left wing were also damaged by Buk missile fragments, tearing the front of the aircraft apart and causing the middle and rear parts of the plane to separate into three pieces, depressur-izing the cabin. This fragmentation likely resulted in most of the plane's occupants losing consciousness before the crash. However, there is a possibility that some passengers were still conscious upon impact. Some individuals on board the plane may have sustained severe injuries that could have killed them before the crash.After the destruction, the plane rapidly descended and further disintegrated before hitting the ground.

What narratives did Russia use to explain the MH17 downing?

The MH17 crash is a prime example of Russian propaganda spreading to obfuscate the truth. We have compiled an overview of Russian propaganda strategies:

Alternative Explanations Strategy

Russian media and officials presented alternative explanations to divert blame from Russia and its allies. They claimed that MH17 was shot down by Ukrainian forces using a fighter jet or surface-to-air missile, and that it was either a mistake or an intentional conspiracy to frame Russia. These narratives are aimed to sow doubt and deflect attention from the involvement of Russian-backed separatists.

Russia has claimed that Ukraine intentionally led MH17 into a contested airspace, but freely available flight data contradicts significant deviations in the planes' flight path.

The notion that the MH17 downing was faked or staged gained little traction. Claims by the Kremlin that the CIA staged the incident with corpses were "supported" by statements from Kremlin paid actors mentioning the smell of formaldehyde at the crash site. However, these claims lacked substantial evidence

Disinformation Campaigns

Russia engaged in extensive information warfare campaigns to spread misinformation about the inci-dent. False reports, biased news coverage, and manipulated content on social media were utilized to influence public opinion. This included the use of trolls and bots on social media platforms to amplify alternative narratives and discredit the findings of the official investigations. Independent investigations, such as those conducted by the Joint Investigation Team and Bellingcat, have debunked these Russian narratives.

On October 18, 2022, the District Court of The Hague ruled on the state responsibility of the Russian Federation under the European Convention on Human Rights for the downing of flight MH17.

Key Dates Summary

Crash Date: July 17, 2014 Number of

Victims: 298 individuals, with two-thirds being from the Netherlands

Verdict Date: October 18, 2022

Court: The Hague

Verdict: The Russian Federation's state responsibility for the downing of flight MH17

These are the dangers of propaganda.

Initially, Russian media reported that the Russian separatists had shot down a Ukrainian An-26 aircraft. When it was revealed that it was a Malaysian Airlines plane, Russia provided various explanations, including the assertion that a Ukrainian aircraft, Ukrainian Buk missiles, and a bomb on board the plane were responsible for the downing.

Russia claimed that a Ukrainian SU-25 fighter jet shot down MH17 in an air battle. They released a picture showing another aircraft (not an SU-25) next to MH17 with a smoke trail from an air-to-air missile.

Fake Evidence Strategy

Russia and its media sources presented fabricated evidence to support their alternative explanations.For example, manipulated or misrepresented satellite images were shared to suggest. Ukrainian army involvement in the incident. These images were widely disseminated to create confusion and undermine the credibility of the investigations.

Contradictory radar data and manipulated satellite images, along with false testimonies, were used to support the narrative of a Ukrainian fighter jet as the culprit. However, in 2016, the Russian Ministry of Defense admitted that this claim was false and acknowledged the overwhelming evidence pointing to the useof a Buk missile.

Conspiracy Theories

Russia propagated various conspiracy theories surrounding the MH17 downing. One such theory suggested that Western governments intentionally targeted the plane to provoke a conflict with Russia. Another theory claimed that the Ukrainian government staged the attack to gain international sympathy and support. These conspiracy narratives aimed to obscure the situation and cast doubt on the official investigations.