Kyiv rejects Russian version of plane crash:
Ukraine has reacted to Russia's version of how Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was downed over eastern Ukraine on July 17, saying Moscow appears to be trying to "disown this tragedy."
The spokesman for Ukraine's Security Council, Andriy Lysenko, said on July 21 that evidence suggested the missile that brought down the plane "was fired by terrorists who received arms and specialists from the Russian Federation."
Russian Defense Ministry official General Andrei Kartapolov said earlier on July 21 that Ukrainian government forces had moved air defense systems into the area from which the missile originated and that a Ukrainian government warplane was in the area around the time the airliner was shot down, hinting Ukraine might be responsible.
Lysenko said, "To disown this tragedy, the [Russians] are drawing a lot of pictures and maps." (Reuters, ITAR-TASS, and Interfax)
Glenn Kates goes over what we know about Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 right now:
Flight MH17 Fact Sheet: Evidence Increasingly Points To Moscow
Amid mounting circumstantial evidence that Russia-backed separatists caused the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, there also appears to be a concerted effort by Moscow to disseminate its own narrative and perhaps obstruct the investigation on the ground.
More on fighting in Donetsk:
At the Malaysia Airlines crash site:
Russia now including a U.S. satellite in its accusations:
Andriy Lysenko, spokesman for Ukraine's National Defense and Security Council, speaking at a news conference in Kyiv:
"At the moment, at different locations, including in Donetsk, there is work on clearing approaches to the city, on destroying the checkpoints of the terrorists. If there are explosions in the middle of the city, then they are not coming from the Ukrainian soldiers. Because we have an order not to use air strikes and artillery in residential areas in the city."
"In any case, if there is fighting in the city, we have information that there are small self-organized groups, both in Luhansk and in Donetsk, who are fighting with the terrorists."