Russia did not hand over primary radar data to Joint Investigation Team
Russia presented at September 26, two days before JIT would make public the first results of the criminal investigation into the downing of MH17, primary radar images to the public.
For a period of over two years Russian Federation claimed it destroyed these raw primary radar recordings.
The recordings showed there were no aircraft flying near MH17. According to Russia, the radar should have detected a missile launched from south of Snizhne. And because technical restrictions, the radar could not detect a missile launched from Zarochenskoe.
I debunked this reasoning in this comprehensive blogpost.
You would expect Russia to hand over the radar recordings as soon as possible. However the recordings were not received by JIT on October 5. Many weeks after the recordings were “found”.
Ukraine press confirms the story. JIT spokesman Wim de Bruin stated JIT did not receive radar recordings from Russia. JIT also stated they are not going to respond to the statements by the Russian Federation about the JIT investigation. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs will do the response.
More news in Ukraine press by Yevropeiska Pravda and 112.ua
So here it is October 11 2016
Over 2 years since Russia announced it had radar data and would be turning it over.
They never did, just asked DSB at the time to review a video.
Then announced they destroyed whatever other radar MH17 related data they had because it did not happen in their territory.
Is this a violation of ICAO rules and the UN res 2166 that Russia agreed to?
I will leave that up to the lawyers.
Then just prior to JIT’s press conference and after it, Russian media covered stories that they had found (magically out of the blue) some files that they never reviewed in an archive.
It had data, or so they claim.
They showed us a video demonstration of what may (or may not) be factual data and told us their analysis of that.
They declared in media, that was sent to JIT 1-2 weeks prior to the JIT press conference IIRC.
Not to promote RT, but that is one place it was stated
https://www.rt.com/news/360319-almaz-russia-mh17-crash/
So here it is, ~3 weeks after Russia claimed it handed the data over.
And no confirmation or statement from JIT about receiving Russian radar data, what type of data it was, or whether they believe it not manipulated or faked.
The JIT has even gone far enough to say, they have not received any radar info on October 11 2016.
So we are left wondering, was this all a media ploy to damp out the fires that were calling for Russia to release the data everyone knew it had but was concealing?
Was it factual, and it got lost in the diplomatic mail?
Was it faked, and Russia knew after JIT analysis Russian radar data would not stand up?
Did Russia actually review the data another time and actually found a BUK missile signature and decided to ‘destroy’ it again?
Was it just a political propaganda ploy to say JIT is not accepting Russian evidence?
Were Russian trying to portray cooperation in words but not actions so proKremlin journalists could make a bunch of more false claims in media?
Who knows.
For me, more evidence is better than less evidence, but only when it is credible evidence.
IF prosecutors doubt its veracity, they will not use it in court, so after all is said and done, if it fails to meet JIT standards, it may never be used.
In that case, it is not evidence at all.
I wish Russia turned over Russian radar evidence from both radar stations as well as Rostov ATC radar data also.
They did not.
If it was in DSB report, it would have shown DSB-Russia cooperation and good will and wanting to help solve this crime.
Will the Russian radar data be delivered and credible and usable?
Time will tell.
Fare thee well