@ A_Van, re: Russian theory of a gross error during training by UKR forces.
Notwithstanding the serious indications tending to show that the Russian side is trying to mud waters on the whole MH17 story, it is interesting to examine the logic of the scenario described.
So, you're a (young?) UKR soldier, doing training, and you shouldn't launch any missile (and you know it).
But, you make a mistake, and a missile is launched. And in addition, bound to the wrong target (perhaps you didn't notice that).
The BUK is a semi-active radar system. That means that the radar emitter is on the ground, and the missile seeker only has a passive radar receipter.
If you cut your radar illumination (from the ground) the missile cannot steer itself anymore. I think it auto-destructs in such a case (anyone more knowledgeable on that matter?).
In the control shelter, you also may have the ability to initiale missile self-destruction by other means (i.e. specific function to send such a command to the missile, notwithstanding your ground radar status).
I guess you would do anything to stop a missile, even if you're not sure towards who it's bound, if you know you shouldn't have launched one in the first place.
And if you've one or two simple means to do that, I think there is a good chance you would have succeeded.
Conclusion: this Russian theory is unlikely, and far less likely than the target identification error by a separatist team.
Last edited by AlphaZuluRomeo; 25th Jul 2014 at 14:32.