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.

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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.

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Earlier, Russian media actively spread the claim that the Malaysian plane was shot down by a Ukrainian fighter jet.