Bellingcat has found new data about the role of former Russian officer in the downing of MH17
The international group of investigators from Bellingcat has released new data about the involvement of the former Russian officer, Sergey Dubinsky, also known as Khmuryi (Grumpy), in the use of a Russian Buk missile system in the occupied Donbas. In 2014, a Malaysian airliner was shot down from this Buk missile system and all 298 passengers on board were killed.
Since the publication of their preliminary report last month, investigators have obtained new data that additionally confirms the identity of Dubinsky-Khmuryi. In addition, Bellingcat experts managed to examine in detail the activity of this man during the day of tragedy with the help of data from publicly available sources and intercepted telephone conversations published by the Joint Investigation Team.
In particular, Bellingcat reported that Russian actor, Ivan Okhlobystin, confirmed the identity of Sergey Dubinsky as Khmuryi and Sergey Petrovsky (Dubinsky also used this name when he stayed in the occupied Donbas) in an article published on the website of RT.
After Bellingcat’s publication, Sergey Dubinsky himself confirmed in his interview to BBC Russia that he is Khmuryi though at the same time he insisted that the Malaysian airliner was shot down by a Ukrainian Buk missile system. The investigators have consistently analyzed the contents of audio recordings from intercepted telephone conversations by Sergey Dubinsky that were published by the Security Service of Ukraine and the Joint Investigation Team, which is investigating the downing of an aircraft in the Netherlands.
The audio recordings indicate that Dubinsky helped to coordinate the use and transfer of a Buk missile system from Russia and that he knew what equipment they were talking about and his interlocutors also knew whom they should contact for assistance on this issue. Once Dubinsky referred to the Buk missile system as “my,” again indicating his outstanding role in the receipt and transportation of the missile system from Russia, the investigators wrote.
Furthermore, conversations that were intercepted after the downing of the airliner indicate that Dubinsky played an important role in the search for important materials at the crash site. In mid-February, Bellingcat published its first report on Sergey Dubinsky in which it defined him as a Russian responsible for transporting the Russian Buk missile system.
The Malaysia Airlines Boeing Flight MH17, was travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, and was shot down over the war zone in eastern Ukraine on the 17th of July 2014. All 298 people, who were on board of this aircraft were killed.
The preliminary results of the investigation, conducted by a Dutch-led Joint International Investigation Team reported that the Buk missile system used to shoot down the Boeing 777 was delivered to Ukraine from Russia. The launch site in Pervomaisk was controlled by pro-Russian separatists. According to the report, approximately 100 people are suspects in this case.