Western media and politicians have blamed Russia without any concrete evidence for the crash of the Malaysian plane, suggesting that Russia has supplied Ukrainian pro-Russian rebels with sophisticated weaponry that was used to shoot down the plane. However, evidence emerging suggests that the Ukrainian military may have been responsible for the crash. In addition, the United States, who sponsor the new Ukrainian government, have many motives and benefit politically from this plane crash.

1.       Ukrainian military have the capability and were active in the area

The Russian Defense Ministry has said that when a Malaysian Airlines plane was apparently shot down over Ukraine, a Ukrainian Buk anti-aircraft missile battery was operational in the region. The ministry said that the battery was deployed at a site from which it could have fired a missile at the airliner. The Defense Ministry also added that the Ukrainian military has several batteries of Buk surface-to-air missile systems with at least 27 launchers, capable of bringing down high-flying jets, in the Donetsk region where the Malaysian passenger plane crashed. Buk anti-aircraft missiles are sophisticated weapons that are integrated into a complex air defence system that includes radar stations and command and control vehicles. They are certainly not the sort of weapons one can learn how to use in a few days. It is therefore likely that they were used by trained military professionals, rather than by the Ukrainian rebel forces.

2.       Ukrainian rebels do not possess Buk anti-aircraft missiles

Ukrainian Prosecutor-General Vitaly Yarema has admitted that rebels in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics do not have Ukrainian air defense missile systems Buk and S-300 at their disposal. He said: “After the passenger airliner was downed, the military reported to the president that terrorists do not have our air defense missile systems Buk and S-300. These weapons were not seized.”

3.       Ukrainian officials asked the pilot to fly lower

The plane was supposed to fly at an altitude of 35,000 feet (10.7 kilometres). However, according to the website “Malaysian Airlines”, the pilots lowered the plane on demand from the Ukrainian ground control services. Upon entering Ukrainian airspace, the ground control service instructed the crew of the aircraft to lower the plane to 33,000 feet. Furthermore, a source in Kiev has told Interfax news agency that Ukraine’s SBU security service has confiscated recordings of conversations between Ukrainian air traffic control officers and the crew of the doomed airliner.

 4.       The U.S. wanted Russia to invade Ukraine, but Russia did not fall for the provocations

The United States has been itching to slap heavy sanctions on Russia, but only if the European Union follows suit. Europe, however, understands that worsening relations with Russia are not in their interest, therefore the EU refused to follow America’s demands. In response, Washington tried to provoke Russia into a military intervention into Ukraine by allowing Ukrainian President Poroshenko to bomb ethic Russians in Ukraine and even shell Russian territory, killing one Russian national. Russian President Vladimir Putin understood the game that Washington was playing and held his nerve, thus failing to provide the U.S. with an excuse to hit Russia with heavy economic sanctions. The plane crash gives Washington the perfect opportunity to pressure the EU to sanction Russia. Ultimately, this disaster is much more beneficial to Washington than to Russia or Ukrainian rebels.

 5.       The West wants to isolate Russia

Russia is building closer ties with fellow BRICS countries. While the West wants to punish, isolate, and contain Russia, the BRICS vocally and openly support cooperation with it in an ever-greater number of fields. The BRICS are even going so far as to create a development bank that would function as a rival to the IMF or World Bank. On his recent visit to Latin America, President Vladimir Putin signed a series of agreements on nuclear energy in Argentina. In addition, Russia and Cuba signed about a dozen accords in areas such as energy, industry, health and disaster prevention. Russian companies will participate in petroleum projects around Boca de Jaruco on the island’s north coast, and that cooperation will extend to offshore oil deposits. Putin said: “Today, co-operation with Latin American states is one of the key and promising lines of Russia’s foreign policy.” This is a major threat to Washington, who do not want to see a multilateral world, but one dominated solely by the U.S.

 Alexander Clackson is the founder of Global Political Insight, a political media and research organisation. He has a Master’s degree in International Relations. Alexander works as a political consultant and frequently contributes to think-tank and media outlets.