Multiple sources cited a post on the VKontakte social networking service that was made by an account under Girkin 's name which acknowledged shooting down an aircraft at approximately the same time that the civilian arliner Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 ( MH17 ) was reported to have crashed in eastern Ukraine in the same area near the Russian border on 17 July 2014 . The post specifically referenced how warnings were issued for planes not to fly in their airspace and the downing of a Ukrainian military Antonov An-26 transport plane which the Ukraine Crisis Media Center suggested was a case of misidentification with the MH17 . This post was deleted later in the day and the account behind it claimed that Girkin has no official account on this social service . Most of the 298 victims in the plane 's crash came from the Netherlands ; on 19 July the country 's biggest newspaper '' De Telegraaf '' included Girkin 's photo in the front page collage of pro-Russian rebel leaders under the one-word headline " Murderers " ( " Moordenaars " ) . Russian opposition lawyer and politician Mark Feygin posted a purported order by Girkin where he instructs all his men and commanders who " have in their possession personal effects from this plane " to deliver the found items to his HQ so " the valuables ( watches , earrings , pendants , and other jewelry and items from valuable metals ) " would be transferred to " the Defense Fund of the DPR . " Girkin was reported to be the author of an alternative version of the incident , wherein " no living people were aboard the plane as it flew on autopilot from Amsterdam , where it had been pre-loaded with ' rotting corpses ' . " This conspiracy theory was then distributed and discussed in Russian state-controlled media outlets
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
Igor Strelkov (officer)