18 Jul 2014

Phone calls implicate Russians - Ukraine

9:32 pm on 18 July 2014

Ukraine has released what it says are intercepted phone calls in which separatist rebels appear to acknowledge shooting down a civilian plane.

According to Ukrainian security officials, they're discussing Malaysian Airlines flight 17.

And the Ukrainian security chief says those transcripts implicate two Russian intelligence officers in shooting down the Boeing 777.

The recordings have not been independently verified.

Wreckage of the Malaysian Airlines jet.

Wreckage of the Malaysian Airlines jet. Photo: AFP

Read the full transcript, translated by the Security Service of Ukraine:

Igor Bezler: We have just shot down a plane. That was "miner's group. It fell down beyond Yenakievo (Donetsk Oblast).

Vasili Geranin: Pilots. Where are the pilots?

IB: Gone to search for and photograph the plane. Its smoking.

VG: How many minutes ago?

IB: About 30 minutes ago.

SBU comment: 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 who shot down the plane. From the Chernukhin check point. Those cossacks who are based in Chernukhino.

"Grek": 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.

Militant: Regarding the plane shot down in the area of Snizhne-Torez. It's a civilian one. Fell down near Grabove. There are lots of corpses of women and children. The Cossacks are out there looking at all this. They say on TV it's AN-26 transport plane, but they say it's written Malaysia Airlines on the plane. What was it doing on Ukraine's territory?

Nikolay Kozitsin (a Cossack commander): That means they were carrying spies. They shouldn't be f…cking flying. There is a war going on.