Germany says rebels used Ukranian missile to down MH17 passenger plane

[The Magistrate]

31. You Are Mis-Stating Facts, Sir

The initial view of most who oppose Putin's aggression in Ukraine was that a missile had been fired by secessionists. There was some development from this to the idea that some Russian trainers or supervision may have been involved, and belief grew that the missile may have been one supplied by Russia. But from that quarter, derision of the claim secessionists fired the missile was absent.

The Russian claim was not that secessionists fired the missile. Rather, the Russian claim was that Ukrainian troops loyal to Kiev had fired the missile, so as to be able to blacken the name of the secessionists and Russia their patron by getting them blamed for the outrage. This elaborated quickly into a variety of claims ranging from statements Ukrainian air controllers had vectored the plane into place so it could be shot down and blame placed on the secessionists, to claims Ukrainian fighter jets had shot the airliner down with some combination of missile and cannon fire, always with the motive being given as doing this to get the secessionists and Russia blamed for the deed.