Separatist Commander Says Rebels Had Buk Missiles

In a July 22 interview with Reuters, pro-Russian separatist commander Aleksandr Khodakovsky admitted the separatists had the type of antiaircraft missiles believed to have been used to shoot down a Malaysian airliner over eastern Ukraine. In a video version of the interview, which used a still photograph of Khodakovsky taken July 8 in Donetsk, the commander told Reuters he "knew a Buk was coming from Luhansk," referring to the missile defense system suspected of bringing down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 on July 17. Khodakovsky later denied having told Reuters that militia forces possessed Buk missiles when the Malaysia airliner crashed in the region. (Reuters)