Dutch TV channel names possible suspects in MH17 airline crash
Dutch TV channel NPO 2 named the alleged suspects in the case of the Boeing 777 that was shot in the sky over the Donbas in 2014. An official investigation has not named any suspects yet. However, earlier all these names were mentioned in the reports of the investigative journalists of a Bellingcat group and the investigation of the newspaper Novaya Gazeta.
The story about the alleged suspects was released on the eve of the publication of the report of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT). At the moment, it is unclear whether these names will be listed in the results of the official investigation, but the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Olena Zerkal claims that on June 19, JIT will unveil the names of the suspects, and the criminal court of Dutch Schiphol will charge them.
The TV channel calls four names: Sergey Moetskayev, Ivan Bezyazykov, Sergey Dubinsky and Oleg Pulatov.
Sergey Moetskayev is the commander of the 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade, based in Kursk. According to the Bellingcat group, the Buk missile system from which, presumably, the plane was shot down, was assigned to this brigade.
Ivan Bezyazykov is a citizen of Ukraine, the only one of all suspects in the case who previously appeared on video footage. Bezyazykov is suspected of national treason in Ukraine. In conversations with the journalists he reported that was familiar with Sergey Dubinsky and Oleg Pulatov.
Sergey Dubinsky has previously appeared in Bellingcat investigations as the key organizer of transportation of the Buk missile system. He was also summoned for questioning in connection with the crash of Boeing MH17 near Donetsk, by the Security Service of Ukraine in October 2017.
Oleg Pulatov was mentioned in the investigation of Novaya Gazeta newspaper as a person who has "accompanied the Buk.”
In May 2018, the investigation in the Netherlands presented conclusions according to which the Boeing 777-200ER of Malaysia Airlines that was shot down in July 2014 in the conflict zone in Eastern Ukraine was struck by the Buk anti-aircraft system, which belonged to the Russian Armed forces, namely the 53rd anti-aircraft missile brigade, based in the Kursk region.