Overview

The conspiracy theories surrounding Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, which was shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, generally propose alternative explanations for the disaster that contradict the findings of international investigations. While official inquiries concluded the aircraft was downed by a Russian-made Buk surface-to-air missile fired from pro-Russian separatist-controlled territory in Ukraine, conspiracy theories aim to shift blame away from Russia and its proxies. These theories often suggest the involvement of other state actors, covert operations, or deliberate misdirection, and they seek to explain who was responsible for the crash and why. The theories broadly attempt to create confusion and uncertainty regarding the widely accepted narrative.

Core Claims

• Ukrainian military involvement: A primary claim suggests that the Ukrainian military shot down MH17, either by an air-to-air missile from a Ukrainian fighter jet (such as an Su-25) or a Ukrainian Buk missile system.
• Bungled assassination attempt on Vladimir Putin: Some theories posit that the crash was a mistaken attempt to assassinate Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose presidential jet allegedly flew a similar route and had comparable visual characteristics to MH17.
• False flag operation: Another prevalent claim is that the downing was a "false flag" operation orchestrated by a world power (such as Ukraine, the U.S., or other Western countries) to ignite World War III or discredit Russia.
• "Unfresh bodies" theory: This theory, propagated shortly after the crash, claimed that many of the bodies recovered from the wreckage were "not fresh" and that the people had died days earlier, implying the plane was pre-loaded with corpses as part of a staged event.
• MH370 swap: A more outlandish theory suggests that the plane that crashed was not MH17 but actually Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which had disappeared months earlier, and was "rigged with explosives" or somehow "swallowed by aliens/a space vortex and just now spit out over Ukraine."

Real-World Impact

The conspiracy theories surrounding MH17 have had significant real-world impacts, primarily by fueling disinformation campaigns and undermining international investigations. The Russian government and state media have actively promoted various alternative theories, contributing to a "web of lies" and a "campaign of denials and disinformation" that inflicted further pain on victims' families and damaged Russia's reputation. These narratives aimed to create distrust against Western and Ukrainian governments among a broader audience. The consistent denial of responsibility by Russia and its efforts to deflect blame have also played a role in the imposition of international sanctions against the Kremlin. Legal proceedings in the Netherlands, which have resulted in convictions, continue to expose details of the attack, challenging these disinformation efforts.

Prominent Figures

• Russian Government and State Media: The Russian government and state-controlled media outlets, such as RT, Channel One, NTV, and Russia 1, have been central to promoting and disseminating various conspiracy theories, often presenting shifting narratives to deflect blame.
• Igor Girkin (also known as Igor Strelkov): A former colonel with the Russian Federal Security Service and a key figure among Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, Girkin initially boasted about downing a plane (mistaking MH17 for a Ukrainian military aircraft) on social media before later promoting false versions of the tragedy. He was later found guilty in absentia for his role in the downing of MH17.
• Sergey Dubinskiy and Leonid Kharchenko: These two individuals, along with Girkin, were found guilty in absentia by a Dutch court for their involvement in the downing of MH17.
• "Carlos, a Spanish dispatcher": A Twitter account claiming to belong to a Spanish air traffic controller in Kyiv, "Carlos," quickly spread claims of Ukrainian fighter jets downing the aircraft, a narrative later proven false and the account deleted.
• Syed Mahadzir Syed Ibrahim: Author of a book titled "Uncovering the Mystery of the Tragedy of MH370 & MH17: The Evils of the Jewish Antichrist Illuminati," which promotes conspiracy theories about the Illuminati.

Origins & Evolution

Conspiracy theories surrounding Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 began to emerge almost immediately after the crash on July 17, 2014. Initial reports from Russian state-controlled media, often echoing claims from pro-Russian separatists, quickly offered alternative explanations, such as a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet shooting down the plane or a bungled attempt to target President Putin's plane. As international investigations, led by the Dutch Safety Board (DSB) and the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), began to consolidate evidence pointing towards a Russian-made Buk missile, the narratives evolved. Russia and its proponents continued to introduce new or modified theories, including blaming a Ukrainian Buk system, or suggesting the crash was a staged event with "unfresh" bodies. These alternative explanations were often presented through state-controlled media and online platforms, adapting over time as previous claims were debunked by forensic evidence and open-source intelligence.

Mainstream Perspective

The mainstream perspective, supported by extensive international investigations, unequivocally rejects the conspiracy theories surrounding Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. The Dutch Safety Board (DSB) concluded that the aircraft was shot down by a Buk surface-to-air missile. The Joint Investigation Team (JIT), comprising experts from the Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, Belgium, and Ukraine, further concluded that the Buk missile originated from the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade of the Russian Federation and was fired from pro-Russian separatist-controlled territory in Ukraine. In November 2022, a Dutch court found three individuals – two Russians and a Ukrainian separatist – guilty of murder in absentia for their roles in the downing of MH17, ruling that Russia was in control of the separatist forces at the time. Additionally, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) have ruled that Russia was responsible for the destruction of MH17. Experts and fact-checkers consistently view the alternative theories as disinformation campaigns, often propagated by Russia to sow confusion and deflect blame.