Vladimir Putin blames Ukraine for the downing of MH17 and Ukraine increases fighting in Donetsk

Vladimir Putin lashed out at the Kiev government and blamed it for the downing of Malaysian Airline’s flight MH17:

21 July 2014

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday again attempted to sidestep any blame in connection with last week’s downing of a Malaysia Airlines jet and demanded that international teams be ensured safe access to the crash site.

“Everything should be done to ensure [international experts] full and absolute safety, and to create humanitarian zones essential for their work,” Putin said in an urgent televised address that also appeared on the Kremlin’s official website. “For its part, Russia will do all it can to transition the conflict in eastern Ukraine from today’s military stage toward the negotiation phase.”

Putin didn’t clarify how Russia would try to achieve that, and he again blamed Ukraine’s government for the tragedy.

“I can say with confidence that if on June 28 combat activities in eastern Ukraine had not been resumed, this tragedy most likely would not have happened,” he said. “At the same time, no one has a right to use this tragedy to achieve their narrowly selfish political ends.”…

Putin insisted that officials responsible for the Ukraine situation “should acknowledge their responsibility both before their own people and before the peoples of those countries whose representatives were among the victims of this catastrophe.” http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-putin-takes-no-blame-20140721-story.html

July 21, 2014

On Monday, an angry Russian President Vladimir Putin, chafing at accusations of complicity, said others were exploiting the airliner’s downing “for mercenary objectives.”

The Associated Press reported Putin claimed the Kremlin was doing everything it could to enable investigators to reach the crash site.

“We can say with confidence that if fighting in eastern Ukraine had not been renewed on June 28, this tragedy would not have happened,” Putin said, according to AP. “Nobody should or does have a right to use this tragedy for such mercenary objectives.”

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur went down last Thursday with 298 people on board. Western intelligence agencies say the plane was almost certainly shot down by a Russian-made anti-aircraft missile fired from a mobile launcher parked in a rebel-controlled area. They say that their sensors detected a missile launch and that three such systems were seen being driven back into Russia shortly after the attack.

In addition, militants initially boasted online about shooting down a Ukrainian military transport, but then removed the post. And the Ukrainian government has published audio recordings it says are the voices of shocked rebels arriving on the scene and finding the remains of the civilian airliner and its passengers, and reporting the fact to Russian operatives. http://www.voanews.com/content/ukraine-gives-up-lead-on-airliner-investigation/1961700.html

July 21, 2014

Crash investigators arrive

As international horror deepened over the fate of the remains of the 298 victims of the air disaster, the first international investigators reached rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine on Monday.

Three members of a Dutch disaster victims identification team arrived in Donetsk and were expected to visit a railway station near the crash site where nearly 200 bodies have been stored in refrigerated wagons.

Rescuers said they had found a total of 251 bodies and 86 body fragments at the crash site and a second refrigerated train had arrived.

The shooting down of the airliner on Thursday has sharply deepened the Ukrainian crisis, in which separatists in the Russian-speaking east have been fighting government forces since protesters in Kyiv forced out a pro-Moscow president and Russia annexed Crimea in March. http://www.voanews.com/content/fighting-breaks-out-in-e-ukraine-city-of-donetsk/1961715.html

I noticed that Vladimir Putin did not say that the separatists did not shoot down flight MH17, only that he blamed the government in Kiev for making the situation which caused the airliner to be shot down. Vladimir Putin is trying to pass all the blame on the Kiev government, and while it has its problems, unless there is serious evidence tying Kiev in with the shooting down of MH17, that story will not work well outside of various Russian-leaning regions.

Fighting has been going on today in Donetsk, which is a city of about one million that is east of Kiev:

July 21, 2014

DONETSK, UKRAINE —

Explosions rocked the eastern Ukraine city of Donetsk Monday as government troops sought to reclaim control of the rebel stronghold, marking the first heavy fighting since Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down last week.

Intense shelling was reported near the rail station. The AFP news agency said that terrified civilians were fleeing the city, though local authorities warned them to stay indoors.

Sergei Kavtaradze, a leader of the pro-Russian separatists, said Ukrainian government forces were trying to break into the city with at least four tanks and armored vehicles. http://www.voanews.com/content/fighting-breaks-out-in-e-ukraine-city-of-donetsk/1961715.html

The situation in eastern Ukraine remains tense as the result of the downing of the Malaysian Airline’s flight and the fighting by Kiev and the separatists.

Russia was part of a deal made last week to reduce its economic dependence on the West (see BRICS take another step to reduce USA dollar dominance). But it still has many economic ties with the West. The dilemma that the West faces is that to hurt Russia more economically, the West has to risk hurting itself–which most in the West do not want.

Speaking of the West, the Obama Administration has stated that it believes that pro-Russian separatists shot down MH17. It is talking about investigations and possibly further sanctions. Notice also:

July 21, 2014

U.S. President Barack Obama is calling on Russia to allow international investigators immediate, full, and unimpeded access to the site in Ukraine where a Malaysian passenger jet was shot down last week.

Obama said Monday the pro-Russian separatists who control the part of eastern Ukraine where the plane went down are preventing international investigators from gaining full access to the wreckage.

“As investigators approached, they fired their weapons into the air. The separatists are removing evidence from the crash site, all which begs the question: What exactly are they trying to hide?” the president asked.

U.S. officials say there is evidence the missile that brought the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 down was fired from territory controlled by rebels who Russia is backing and supplying with equipment that includes anti-aircraft weapons.

Obama said Moscow has urged the rebels on, trained them, and armed them. And he said Russian President Vladimir Putin now should facilitate a transparent investigation.

“Given its direct influence over the separatists, Russia, and President Putin in particular, has direct responsibility to compel them to cooperate with the investigation. That is the least that they can do,” Obama said…

Unified Europe

Kerry voiced hope that the airline tragedy will galvanize support in Europe for more sanctions against Russia for its actions in eastern Ukraine in support of the pro-Russian separatists. http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-urges-full-unimpeded-ukraine-crash-investigation/1961903.html

The Obama Administration is also trying to get the Europeans more involved in sanctions, as it hopes that by impacting Russia’s economy, that Russia will be persuaded to change its course.

Yet, Vladimir Putin’s actual course is to attempt to reunite former Soviet states with Russia in his coming Eurasian Union. Economic sanctions do sometimes affect his public actions, but not his real plans. The Bible tells of a confederation similar to what Vladimir Putin wants, and that involves more than simply the former Soviet states. As it turns out, Vladimir Putin also wants that. He wants the former Soviet states in tight group that he then wants to be confederate with other nations like China and India. That will come according to biblical prophecy (see Asia in Prophecy), but that will not be fully realized for several years at least.

Until then, Russia and parts of the West will sometimes move further apart and sometimes move closer together. It is likely that MH17 will increase the resolve of the Europeans to internally make moves that they hope will negate Russia’s military advantages over themselves. Vladimir Putin hopes that the MH17 matter will not hurt his plans, but he really does not seem to fully understand Europe’s plans.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Russia and Ukraine: Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? You can also watch the short video Ukraine in Prophecy?
Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy Is Russia mentioned in the Bible? It it is where is it? Is there any evidence of a people moving to the land that the Russians now occupy? What do Catholic and other prophecies say about Russia? What does the Bible teach? How are Protestants often in error on this? Is there more in biblical prophecy for Russia than war? Does God have a plan to save Russia and her allies? Does Russia have a history involving Sabbath keepers? Does scripture tie Russia in with Armageddon? Will Russia help defeat the end time Babylonian power? What did the Apostle John, and the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel, write about Russia? This is a sermon-length video.
Bible News Prophecy July-Sept. 2014: The Coming Eurasian Union Here is the latest magazine from the Continuing Church of God. The cover of which shows Vladimir Putin and features an article about the coming Eurasian Union.
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon? A YouTube video of interest may be Is China THE Threat to the United States of America?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2014, 2015, or 2016? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2013 o 2014? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
Wars, rumors of wars, and the Apocalypse Jesus foretold a time before the end where there would be wars and rumors of wars. The Apocalypse (the Book of Revelation) warns of the red horseman of war. Now, even secular writers, like Larry Edelson, are worried that wars and rumors of war are the most menacing problem that now haunts the earth? Are they right? What is the solution? This is a sermonette-length video.
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.