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Russia Questions Authenticity of Dutch MH17 Phone Intercepts

Maria Zakharova Artyom Geodakyan / TASS

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the authenticity of phone intercepts which Dutch investigators said show Moscow's influence over pro-Russian rebels accused of downing Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was not confirmed.

MH17 was shot out of the sky on July 17, 2014, over territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine as it flew from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 passengers and crew died.

Dutch investigators released the phone intercepts earlier on Thursday.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news briefing in Moscow that the world was awash with what she called fake news, making it vital to test the authenticity of such recordings. 

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