Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 Crashes in Ukraine

[Palinurus]

Source (Dutch only): Een of meer verdachten neerhalen vlucht MH17 hebben advocaat

NOS News - Interior - Today, 13:21 - Adjusted Today, 14:36

One or more suspects shoot down flight MH17 have lawyer

One or more suspects of the downing of flight MH17 and the murder of the 298 occupants will be assisted by a law firm, the District Court of The Hague reports. Which law firm that is and which suspect(s) is (are) involved will not be released.

"So now the criminal trial has really become a case", says reporter Gert-Jan Dennekamp. "Until now it seemed to be a one-sided trial because the suspects refused to acknowledge the court or said they had nothing to do with the case".

Not voluntarily

In June last year, the Netherlands announced that four suspects were being prosecuted. They are Leonid Khartschenko from Ukraine and Oleg Pulatov, Igor Girkin and Sergey Dobinsky from Russia.

Igor Girkin (also known as Strelkov) said today to Nieuwsuur [News Hour] that he is not the one to be represented, because he doesn't recognize the court.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1221778791556702208

(Dutch only)

Previously, Dutbinsky told the Russian press agency Interfax that he would not voluntarily appear in court because he said he had nothing to do with the MH17 disaster. Nothing is known about Pulatov and Khartschenko.

<portraits of the four suspects omitted>

It is customary to not provide information about those present before the trial starts. In criminal cases, information about a trial is available to journalists under embargo no later than one week before the hearing. This information may not be made public until the public hearing of the case begins.

The trial of the MH17 suspects is scheduled to take well over one year. The District Court of The Hague reports that between March 2020 and April 2021 a number of hearing periods have been reserved at the Schiphol Judicial Complex. The first hearing will be held on 9 March.


Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

[youlik]

Экс-офицер СБУ раскрывает новые тайны крушения малайзийского «Боинга» (ВИДЕО)
31.01.2020 - 12:47


Translation

Ex-SBU officer reveals new secrets of Malaysian Boeing crash (VIDEO)
31.01.2020-12: 47

In the summer of 2014, the Ukrainian command sent its anti-aircraft missile systems to the "ATO" zone in secrecy. This happened before the crash of the Boeing Malaysian flight MH17.

This was told on the air of the PolitWera YouTube channel by a former employee of the Central office of the SBU, Lieutenant Colonel Vasily Prozorov, who, using previous professional practices, conducted his own investigation of the crash of a Malaysian Boeing in the sky over the Donbass:

"If you remember, the interception and transcript of telephone conversations of militia leaders, which were allegedly about the Downing of the Boeing, appeared on the Network a few hours after the tragedy.

I know firsthand what operational and technical measures are and how wiretapping materials can be used in the public domain.

I declare that it is impossible to issue materials so quickly, remove the secrecy label from them and put them in the public domain, " Prozorov explained.

He also stressed that the Ukrainian side also translated them into several foreign languages at once.

"Then I remember a conversation with a high-ranking officer of the Ukrainian military intelligence, who in a personal conversation told me: "do Not get involved in this situation with Boeing, everything is not so simple and clean", " he added.

Prozorov also said that the next day after the MH17 disaster, Kiev demanded that the DPR stop all work at the scene of the tragedy.

He stressed that although in the summer of 2014, the DPR emergencies Ministry and the state emergency service of Ukraine were no longer a single organization, but in many ways they retained their former ties and periodically collected information about incidents.

He also drew attention to the fact that shortly before the crash of the plane, the Artemovskaya radar station that controlled air traffic on that section of the territory was disabled — the station itself was at that time on the territory controlled by the APU.

All the facts and materials collected by Prozorov were included in the documentary film "MN17: in search of truth" created by his group, which was presented to the online public in December last year.

"We found two soldiers Of the second division of the 156 anti-aircraft missile regiment of the SBU, which was stationed in the city of Mariupol and was armed with the BUK air defense system, and this division in the summer of 2014, in early July, went on an incomprehensible strange business trip," he said.

According to the author of the investigation, former Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners voluntarily sided with the DPR and told him many interesting facts.

"The trip was accompanied by unprecedented measures of secrecy and secrecy. There were no conscripts at all, only officers and contractors. On the equipment painted over the side numbers. Military tickets and mobile phones were taken from contractors.

Also, the ex-employee of the SBU noted a noticeable contradiction. While Ukrainian propaganda hysterically broadcast about the "Russian invasion", that Moscow wants to lay a land corridor to the Crimea along the Azov coast — the only units capable of resisting combat aircraft were removed from this strategic direction.

"After the unit returned to Mariupol in August 2014, the soldiers we talked to communicated with these contractors, and they were so intimidated that they did not tell anything about their business trip.

Then one of the contractors on his page in social networks published a photo of the SAM "Buk". And when one of our fighters began to ask him where it was taken, he immediately blocked it, deleted the photo, and then the account“ " Prozorov said.

The ex-officer is convinced that in order to establish the truth, the joint investigation team in the MH17 case should also interview the officers of the division who went on that very secret mission, especially since the soldiers with whom he communicated during the work on the film remember them all by name."

Экс-офицер СБУ раскрывает новые тайны крушения малайзийского «Боинга» (ВИДЕО)

 

[Palinurus]

Thanks youlik. Good catch ! Very interesting info again.

Maybe the JIT will finally catch some of these facts to incorporate in their investigation but I'm not holding my breath over it.

 

[Palinurus]

Update on post #1,111 above.

Source (Dutch only): Rotterdams advocatenkantoor staat MH17-verdachte bij

Process starts in March
Rotterdam law firm assists MH17 suspect

Published 3 hours 52 minutes ago - Modified: 2 hours 25 minutes ago

One of the four suspects of the MH17 disaster will be assisted during the trial by two Dutch criminal lawyers. That is what the lawyers stated in the Advocatenblad [in Dutch]. They call it 'crucial in a constitutional state' that he too is entitled to a fair trial.

The trial against the four suspects of the shooting down of the passenger plane starts on 9 March. The Dutch lawyers will work together on the defense with a Russian lawyer, Elena Kutina.

In the Advocatenblad, Boudewijn van Eijck and Sabine ten Doesschate do not yet want to say which suspect they are assisting. But Kutina informs the Russian site TASS [in Russian] that it's about Oleg Pulatov, an assistant of Sergey Dobinsky, the right hand of rebel leader Igor Girkin.

Treat with respect

The lawyers say they understand that the case arouses a lot of emotions. "We feel it is important to emphasize that we will treat the case with respect for the next of kin. 298 people, including 196 Dutch, died in this disaster. That is a very sensitive fact in this case. We're well aware of that."

Oleg Pulatov

However, they do feel that everyone is entitled to a fair defense, including the suspect they are assisting. "It is crucial in the rule of law that every suspect receives legal assistance. (...) Especially in such a loaded case, it is important that suspects get an independent and objective lawyer who will shed light on their side of the case."

No acquaintances killed

The two first ascertained whether one of their colleagues knows someone who died in the disaster. That appears not to be the case.

Apart from Pulatov, Girkin and Dobinsky are also on trial. The fourth suspect is garrison commander Leonid Khartshenko. It's still unclear how long the trial will take.

Kutina likewise pledges to TASS that the defense will treat the case with respect. "We will handle this case with the utmost respect for the feelings of the relatives of the victims, but we will also proceed on the basis of the basic principle of criminal law, namely the presumption of innocence."

Objective legal proceeding

Kutina continues that they especially want a fair trial. "We hope for an independent and objective trial." According to the website of the Russian law firm Kovler and Partners, where Kutina works, the firm represents large Russian companies as well as employees of the Russian Ministry of the Interior and of the Russian Public Prosecutor's Office.


Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Similar coverage: Nederlandse advocaten staan Russische MH17-verdachte bij

 

[youlik]

«Господа, стыдитесь!» — что не так с обвинением фигурантам по делу «Боинга» МН17
03.02.2020 - 21:11


"Gentlemen, be ashamed!"— what is wrong with the prosecution of the defendants in the case of "Boeing" MH17
03.02.2020-21: 11

The national Prosecutor's office of the Netherlands has filed charges against four defendants in the case of the crash of the Malaysian Boeing MH17 in the Donbas in August 2014. Amsterdam summons the accused to conduct the necessary investigative actions.

This was told today, February 3, by the lawyer of one of the defendants Elena Kutina from the Board of "Kovler and partners". A woman protects Oleg Pulatova, whose interests are to defend in court another two lawyers of the firm Rotterdam Boudewijn van Eyck and Sabine ten-Duchat.

"One of these defendants, Oleg Yuldashevich Pulatov, will be defended by an international defense team consisting of two Dutch lawyers and one Russian lawyer," Kutina explained.

She also stressed that the work of the group of lawyers will be carried out in accordance with all norms of international law.

"During the defense, we will consider this case with the deepest respect for the feelings of the victims' families, as well as taking into account the principle of criminal proceedings, which is the presumption of innocence," the lawyer emphasizes.

She also expressed the hope that the trial would be independent and objective.

Dutch lawyers told the legal publication Advocatenblad that they consider their participation in the process important for ensuring the rule of law. The criminal case consists of about 30,000 pages, they said, adding that kutjin's lawyer cannot act on behalf of a suspect in the Netherlands and is only entitled to provide information for his defense.

The trial in the case of the plane crash and the death of 298 people will begin on March 9 this year. The accused are three Russians: former defense Minister of the so-called DPR Igor Girkin (Strelkov), major General Sergei Dubinsky (call sign “Gloomy”), Colonel Oleg Pulatov (“Gyurza”), and Ukrainian citizen Leonid Kharchenko (“Mole”).

Famous military correspondent Dmitry Steshin commented on the indictment of four defendants in the case of the crash of the Malaysian Boeing flight MH17 in the Donbass.

"The Dutch Prosecutor's office has been gathering courage for five years and has charged people with the death of Boeing flight MH17 who will not be extradited to the West under any circumstances. This is instead of finally finishing the decoding of the "black boxes" — the sixth year has gone, gentlemen, be ashamed!

To communicate with the available Ukranian power on the topic of the pilot Voloshin killed in time, the same - " the plane was in the wrong place and at the wrong time." Finally, ask the dispatcher from Dnepropetrovsk, who corrected the movement of the ill-fated "Boeing". Where is she, by the way?" There is no it. Disappeared. Success in the investigation, " Steshin wrote in his telegram channel "Russian tarantas".

«Господа, стыдитесь!» — что не так с обвинением фигурантам по делу «Боинга» МН17

 

[Palinurus]

Thanks for the additional info and confirmation youlik.

 

[Palinurus]

Source (Dutch only): Rusland wilde MH17-verdachten zelf berechten

NOS News - Foreign affairs -Politics - Today, 19:36

Russia wanted to try MH17 suspects itself

In a letter, Russia asked the Netherlands to hand over the prosecution of the three Russian MH17 suspects to Russia. Minister Grapperhaus writes to the House of Representatives he answered Moscow that such a transfer was not an option.

According to Grapperhaus, the Russian request arrived at his ministry on October 17, 2019. Of the four men suspected of involvement in the shooting down of the plane, three have Russian nationality. When the trial against them starts on March 9th at Schiphol Airport, they will almost certainly not be present. They will probably stay in Russia, which does not want to extradite them.

Preventing impunity

In his reply to the Russian authorities, Grapperhaus did, however, ask whether the Russians were prepared to accept a sentence passed and to enforce any sentence in Russia. "In the context of preventing impunity." It is not clear what Moscow responded to this.

One of the Russian suspects has a Dutch lawyer. The trial will be fully available via a live stream. Relatives of the disaster's victims will be able to follow the hearings in private. Representatives of the Public Prosecutor's Office, family investigators and Victim Aid Netherlands will also be present there.


Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

[Palinurus]

Source: All Ukrainian prosecutors on MH17 investigation dismissed: Report

All Ukrainian prosecutors on MH17 investigation dismissed: Report

By Janene Pieters on February 17, 2020 - 07:28

All six prosecutors who formed part of the MH17 investigation in Ukraine have been transferred or dismissed, including the two who were part of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) investigating the plane crash, NRC reports [in Dutch]. Ukraine is reorganizing its public prosecution office in the fight against corruption.

Five of the six prosecutors who formed the Ukrainian MH17 section were dismissed. The sixth, Oleh Peresada, is still involved in the investigation, but no longer a public prosecutor, according to the newspaper. A spokesperson for the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) told NRC that the Netherlands was assured that Peresada will remain connected to the JIT. "This guarantees the historical awareness of this investigation," the spokesperson said.

The dismissals are expected to be a blow for further investigation into the downing of the Malaysia Airlines flight. The damage to the upcoming trial in this case against the first four suspects, which will start at the high security court at Schiphol on March 9th, will be limited as the prosecutors already completed their files, people involved told NRC. But the reorganization can be a problem for investigating new suspects. The prosecutors' successors will need time to get acquainted with the case. "Nobody knows the file we have built up over five years," one of the dismissed prosecutors said to the newspaper.

According to NRC, discussions with Ukrainian prosecutors show that the reorganization is "not fair and aimed at getting as many prosecutors to go as possible". So far 710 of the 1,339 prosecutors have disappeared, the newspaper writes.

From NRC-article:

Former prosecutors pose at Majdan Square in Kiev. Third and fourth from the left: Oksana and Volodymyr Tymoshenko.
On the far right: MH17 officer Roman Hoshovsky. Photo: Yevhen Maloletka


Other coverage in Dutch:
Alle Oekraïense MH17-aanklagers uit functie ontheven na reorganisatie
geenstijl.nl/5151961/oekraine-jorist-alle-mh17-ovj-s-weg/

 

[Voyageur]

Source: All Ukrainian prosecutors on MH17 investigation dismissed: Report

Ukraine is reorganizing its public prosecution office in the fight against corruption.
[...]
"Nobody knows the file we have built up over five years," one of the dismissed prosecutors said to the newspaper.
[...]
So far 710 of the 1,339 prosecutors have disappeared, the newspaper writes.

Interesting development on the home Ukraine turf. One can speculate as to what's going on in different ways without knowing the decision tree involved; corruption was mentioned, distancing prosecutors from the case, from the evidence is another.

What is Zelensky thinking? Would evidence revealed produce a negative backlash, dredge up inconveniences - and have there been backdoor communications that shine a light on these matters that can't be revealed? Or, perhaps once in court March 9th, along with the pledge that "the historical awareness of this investigation" will continue to be assured, may only result in a chain of custody black hole (deniability) while JIT prosecution steams ahead.

Time may tell.

 

[Palinurus]

The developments in Ukraine around the MH17 investigation's personnel have been briefly debated during this week's Question Time in Parliament. No new information came at the table.

Source (Dutch only): Grapperhaus verdedigt MH17-samenwerking met Oekraïne

Grapperhaus defends MH17 cooperation with Ukraine

Aircraft disaster It appeared recently that all Ukrainian prosecution officers involved in the MH17 file have been removed from their positions. According to Grapperhaus, the consequences for the trial are "as limited as possible".

Christiaan Paauwe - 18 February 2020 at 17:33

Minister Grapperhaus (Security and Justice, CDA) still has confidence in the MH17 process, despite the dismissal of Ukrainian prosecutors involved. According to the Minister, the "investigation file is up to date" and "the consequences are as limited as possible" for the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), the international team investigating the shooting down of the aircraft. Grapperhaus had to counter criticism from CDA and D66 during question time in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

An investigation by NRC [in Dutch] revealed on Sunday that all Ukrainian prosecutors involved in the trial had been dismissed from their positions, including two officers who were part of JIT. Five of the six officers in the Ukrainian MH17 section were also dismissed. The purge was part of a major reform of the Ukrainian prosecution under President Zelensky. The MH17 process starts as early as March 8th. New prosecutors will therefore have to familiarize themselves with the complex case in a short period of time.

'Incomprehensible'

Member of Parliament Chris van Dam (CDA) called it "incomprehensible" in the House of Representatives on Tuesday that the prosecutors involved appear to have been removed from the case one month before the trial. Sjoerd Sjoerdsma (D66) supported him, also pointing out the issue of Volodymyr Tsemach. This important witness in the MH17 investigation was released by Ukraine last summer during a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kiev, despite a call from the Netherlands to keep him within the reach of JIT.

Moreover, Sjoerdsma concludes that the Minister admits that the purge does have consequences for the MH17 investigation. "The minister speaks of 'as few consequences as possible' but by doing so he is actually saying that there are indeed repercussions."

According to Grapperhaus, one of the relieved officers remains involved in JIT as a "special advisor". Ukrainian colleagues have further promised that "continuity will be guaranteed". Furthermore, the Minister points out that Ukraine has so far played an "exemplary role" in the MH17 investigation. The air disaster over separatist territory in Eastern Ukraine in July 2014 cost the lives of 298 people.


Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Other coverage in Dutch:
Grapperhaus: weinig gevolgen vervanging Oekraïense aanklagers MH17
CDA: kabinet geeft Oekraïne te veel voordeel van de twijfel

 

[Palinurus]

Source (Dutch only): Ontslag voor 'grijze kardinaal' en Poetin-vertrouweling Soerkov

NOS News - Abroad - Today, 11:47

Dismissal for 'Grey Cardinal' and Putin's confidant Surkov

Vladislav Surkov on a photo from 2013 - AFP

President Putin has sent one of his closest advisors down the aisle. It concerns Vladislav Surkov, who was regarded as an important strategist and ideologue within the Kremlin. The reason for the dismisson has not been disclosed.

Surkov's departure was considered likely for a while. The relationship between him and Putin is said to have cooled lately. Last month there were reports that the 55-year-old Surkov had resigned himself, but these were contradicted by Putin's spokesperson.

Ukraine

Among other things, Surkov managed Russian contacts with neighboring Ukraine, where there has been fighting between pro-Russian separatists and the army since 2014. He is also rumored to have maintained ties with those rebels. Last week it became clear that the Kremlin has transferred Ukrainian policy to a new envoy.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Since the outbreak of war in Eastern Ukraine, the Kremlin has denied that Russia is directly involved in
the hostilities. Putin has only admitted that there may be Russian 'volunteers' fighting alongside the separatists.
According to numerous sources, there is indeed Russian military involvement in the conflict in the area.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Surkov has the image of a shadowy, but - behind the scenes - powerful figure. His alleged influence and years of experience in the Kremlin earned him the nickname 'Grey Cardinal' [in Dutch].

"Although it was expected, it is still remarkable," says correspondent David Jan Godfroid about the dismissal. "Surkov was a key figure and one of Putin's few true confidants. What his departure means, for example with regard to Ukraine policy, is still difficult to predict at this moment."

Surkov and Putin in 2012 - AFP

Last year, Surkov was linked [in Dutch] to the disaster with flight MH17. Then, the international research team (JIT) came to the conclusion that Surkov had assisted with the delivery of the BUK rocket with which the plane was brought down. This would be apparent from an intercepted phone call from Surkov with a separatist leader in Eastern Ukraine.


Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
[/QUOTE]

 

[Palinurus]

Archiving the latest from SOTT (via Sputnik - Wed, 19 Feb 2020 17:35 UTC), casting more doubts on the JIT's findings with help allegedly from their own documents:

Dutch journalist Max van der Werff reveals leaked investigation docs point to no Buk missile systems around MH17 crash area -- Sott.net

 

[Palinurus]

Archiving an RT article on SOTT with more background info about the dismissal of Vladislav Surkov:

End of an era as Surkov leaves Kremlin: Will it signal new dawn between Russia & Ukraine? -- Sott.net

 

[Palinurus]

Archiving a second article on SOTT about the leaked info from within the JIT, this time from Max van der Werff himself as it was published on his own website:

Was MH17 properly investigated? Leaked documents cast doubt -- Sott.net

Also another article about the same subject, this one from John Helmer:

MH17 truth - before the Dutch, Australians, Ukrainians screen their lie show -- Sott.net

 

[Palinurus]

SOTT now carries a second article from John Helmer with more and new info about the files leaked out from within the JIT which were written by Major General Onno Eichelsheim, head of Dutch military intelligence (MIVD):

More MH17 leaks: NATO repeatedly reported there was no evidence of Russian Buk in Ukraine -- Sott.net