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How to tell if basketball jersey is authentic
How to Spot Fake NBA Jerseys
Matt Ieriko
June 27, 2021 5 min read
Ever bought fake NBA jerseys thinking it’s the real thing? You might have a jersey in your closet and wondering now whether it’s real or not? Read on as this is the guide which will teach you how to tell if an NBA jersey is authentic or not.
How to Spot Fake NBA Jerseys
Fake NBA jerseys can range from the hilariously obvious, to the painstakingly accurate. The number of fake NBA jerseys being sold continues to skyrocket and sweatshops are getting better at being able to replicate authentic jerseys.![]()
How do you know whether you’re buying a real vs fake Adidas NBA jersey for example?
I’ve done the hard yards. I’ve been scammed. I’ve been able to snap up a bargain which I’ve been able to confirm is legitimate. I’ve put my experience together to create a guide for you to learn how to spot fake NBA jerseys in 9 simple steps.
9. Stitching
A great way to find out if you have fake NBA jerseys is to understand how jerseys are stitched together. The Nike Swingman jersey lettering and numbers are screen printed on. Adidas Swingman and Nike Authentic editions are twill stitched. Sweatshops often miss this detail and it’s one of the easiest ways to tell if an NBA jersey is authentic.
Making sure both letters and numbers are aligned is important as fake NBA jerseys often fail to space letters apart evenly. Any stitching will fray easily on a fake jersey too.
Another great way to spot fake NBA jerseys is through certain patches stitched onto a jersey, like team logos for example.
A cotton paperlike backing is used to apply patches to jerseys and fake NBA jerseys often leave these cotton backings on and are visible from the inside of a jersey. Team logos should also match the same height as the NBA logo on the jersey.
8. Fake NBA Jerseys Use Stock Photos
Buying a jersey from an unofficial sports merchandise dealer can leave you ending up with fake NBA jerseys. The use of stock jersey photos on these types of sites is often an obvious sign that it’s a fake.
Official team websites and NBA.com are sites you would expect to see stock photos. Authorised online stores like Footlocker.com and Nike.com are other authorised stores that are reputable in selling genuine jerseys. A website with a title like authenticnbajerseyworld.ru with stock photos is a telltale sign that you’re about to buy a fake NBA jersey.
If a jersey is well below the recommended retail prices (RRP) on sites that are not official merchandise dealers it’s going to be an NBA jersey that’s not authentic.
7. Check the Neck Tag
Know your details before you buy to avoid ending up with fake NBA jerseys. I can tell when I’m buying a real vs fake Adidas NBA jersey with the neck detail. The photo on the bottom is a genuine Adidas logo which looks clean. In the photo above, it wears out a lot faster and the stitching goes over the top of the logo. It’s another sign and lazy workmanship when it comes to sweatshops making fake NBA jerseys.
6. Where Are NBA Jerseys Made?
Most Nike jerseys are made in Honduras and Guatemala. Most recently Nike jerseys have been made in Thailand and much older Nike jerseys in Korea. Sweatshops dishing out fake NBA jerseys miss this detail far too often and it’s a great way to tell an authentic jersey from a fake.
Adidas jerseys are typically made in Vietnam, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Pay close attention to where an NBA jersey is made as it’s a great way to tell a real vs fake Adidas NBA jersey in particular.
5.
NBA Logo
NBA logos are almost always incorrect on fake NBA jerseys. Compare NBA logos on jerseys to the official Jerry West NBA logo, an easy way to spot a fake NBA jersey. Fake NBA jerseys often create the logo far too thin and resembles an alien looking creature instead of Jerry West,
You can often tell an NBA jersey is legitimate when the NBA logo is embroidered onto the jersey with different coloured layers of stitching. Fake NBA jerseys lack this detail and usually have a sewn on or heat applied patch.
4. Jock Tag
Check the location and positioning of the jersey jock tag. Jock tags are located at the bottom right of a jersey when facing it front on. Inconsistencies with font size and thicknesses can be one of the easiest ways to spot fake NBA jerseys.
Fake NBA jerseys often create the size of the font too thick and once you learn how to spot it you’ll develop a second nature for spotting fake NBA jerseys almost instantaneously.
When trying to figure out a real vs fake Nike NBA jersey one of the best ways is to check the words “Engineered to the exact specifications of the championship athletes”.
Sweatshops creating fake jerseys won’t care for this detail and you’ll see the lazy work in the fakes.
3. Perforations
Take a look at fabric hole patterns to make sure they are consistent with authentic versions. Perforation sizing will vary across different genuine jerseys depending on brand, generation, variation etc. Understanding perforations may take a bit of time and attention to detail but it’s a sure way to spot fake NBA jerseys that sweatshops making fake NBA jerseys get lazy with.
If you’re after helping figuring out a real vs. fake Adidas NBA jersey take a look at the genuine second generation Swingman perforations on the left, and Nike Swingman perforations on the right below.
2. Retail Tags
On the topic of how to spot fake NBA jerseys, understanding that retail tags isn’t the best way to identify a genuine jersey is important. Many fakes have fake retail tags which replicate genuine ones and tags. This is one of the most common ways people get tricked into buying fake NBA jerseys thinking that they’ve got authentic retail tags.
1. Materials
Original jerseys, especially vintage jerseys, are made from heavier premium materials when compared to fake NBA jerseys. New technology is enabling lighter jerseys, but authentics will always have a premium quality in terms of feel over fake NBA jerseys.
You can easily spot fake NBA jerseys by running your fingers across the material. A genuine jersey is made of a polyester mesh and will feel smooth. A fake jersey is made from inferior materials and will feel rough or scratchy. When you put them on to compare you’ll notice the difference 100%.
How to Tell if a NBA Jersey Is Authentic
So there you have it. The ultimate guide on how to spot a fake NBA jersey and confirming it’s authentic and avoiding fake jerseys. Here is the list in summary:
- Stitching
- Question use of stock photos
- Check the neck tag
- Where NBA jerseys are made
- NBA logo size
- Jock tag proportions
- Jersey perforations
- Retail tags
- Material weights
Which NBA Jersey is Authentic? (answer w/ photos) – Sports Fan Focus
Written by Paul Johnson in Basketball,Jerseys
If you are shopping for NBA jerseys, you might be a little confused which NBA jersey is authentic.
There are several different types of NBA jerseys, and most of them are replicas. Which NBA jersey is authentic?
The authentic NBA jersey is simply called ‘Nike Authentic’. Click here to view the Nike Authentic jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).
This may seem a bit obvious after the fact, but there are actually several different types of NBA jerseys to consider, and so you certainly aren’t the first person to be a bit confused. Here are the 5 types of NBA jerseys, and what you need to know:
NBA Jersey Types
- Nike Swingman – This is Nike’s more affordable replica option. These are very popular among fans, but they are not embroidered. Great option if you don’t want to pay up for the embroidered authentic jerseys. Slim fit, if you prefer baggy, size up. Click here to view the Nike Swingman jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.
com).
- Nike Authentic – These are the authentic jerseys. These jerseys have all the premium finishes, including stitched numbers and graphics. They have a slim fit, and you will need to size up if you prefer a baggy fit. Click here to view the Nike Authentic jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).
- Fanatics Fast Break Jersey – Another affordable replica jersey. It is made by Fanatics, not Nike. If you are operating on a tight budget, I suggest checking it out. These are not stitched. This jersey has a true-to-size regular fit. Click here to view the Fanatics Fast Break jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).
- Mitchell & Ness Swingman – Mitchell & Ness makes classic throwback jerseys. The Swingman version is the more affordable option, but these jerseys still have awesome quality, including stitched graphics on most jerseys.
This jersey is not as slim as the Nike jerseys. I recommend ordering your normal sizing. Click here to view the Mitchell & Ness Swingman throwback collection at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).
- Mitchell & Ness Authentic – These are also throwback authentic jerseys. They are stitched. These authentic throwbacks are some of the most coveted fan jerseys. Click here to view the Mitchell & Ness Authentic jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).
In this article let’s take a specific look at the authentic jerseys, and what you can expect. If you want to read more about NBA jersey sizing, visit our article How Do NBA Jerseys Fit?
Table of Contents
Which NBA Jersey is Authentic?
As we discussed earlier, the ‘Nike Authentic’ jerseys are the authentic NBA jerseys. These jerseys are as close as you can get as a fan to wearing what the players wear.
How can you tell if an NBA jersey is authentic?First, I would advise you to just make sure you buy through a reputable source. For example, NBAStore.com is the official online store of the NBA – you can buy from them with confidence knowing you aren’t getting scammed.
Nike Authentic jerseys come with an authentic jock tag stitched to the bottom right front of the jersey. Implanted in the jock tag should be a unique Nike Connect chip. Here is a close-up look at my jock tag:
A Nike Connected jersey is a digitally-enabled jersey that is intended to further enhance your fan connection to the game by giving you access to player and team specific scores, stats, and highlights by combining your Nike Connected jersey with the Nike Connect App (source). One other cool thing it does, is help spot fakes.
If someone is trying to sell you a Nike Authentic jersey, and it does not have this Nike Connect jock tag, it is a fake.
As I said earlier, my strongest advice is to stick with a reputable source like NBAStore.com when you want to buy authentic NBA jerseys. Click here to view the Nike Authentic jerseys at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com).
Nike Authentic Details
The Nike Authentic jerseys have all the premium finishes and are the closest you can get as a fan to wearing what the players wear on the court. If you look at the jock tag I posted earlier, you can see it says “Engineered to the exact specifications of championship athletes.”
Here is what you can expect from an authentic NBA jersey:
- Stitched logos and graphics
- Open venting at bottom sides for freedom of movement and comfort
- Heat-sealed NBA logo on back neckline, and franchise’s championship gold-number badge on back neck collar
- Lightweight, quick-drying fabric that features authentic ventilation throughout the jersey
- Some editions feature a unique team tagline stitched above the jock tag
The Nike Authentic jerseys have a slim fit, which mimics the slim fit of the players jerseys.
I personally did not size up, but if you prefer a baggy, loose fit, sizing up may be best. Here I am wearing a size 44 (6’3 200):
**To read more about the details of a Nike Authentic jersey, visit our Nike Authentic Jersey Review.
Authentic vs Swingman NBA Jerseys
Ultimately, if you are shopping for a Nike NBA jersey, you will have to decide between the Nike Authentic and the Nike Swingman. The Nike Swingman jerseys are the replica jerseys. Here is a look at my Embiid Authentic (left) vs Embiid Swingman (right):
Because the Swingman jerseys are the replica jerseys, you can expect them to be more affordable than the Authentic jerseys, but they won’t have all the premium finishes. For example, the Swingman jerseys have screen-printed graphics instead of stitched-on graphics like the authentic jerseys. To read more, visit our article Swingman vs Authentic.
Where to Buy Authentic NBA Jerseys?
NBAStore.com is the official online store of the NBA.
You can buy from them with confidence knowing you aren’t getting scammed. Because Authentics are so coveted, fake jerseys do exist. Buying through a reputable source is advised.
Click here to buy your Nike Authentic jersey at NBAStore.com (affiliate link takes you to NBAStore.com). The team stores inside of NBA arenas will also have authentic jerseys for sale.
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| Size | 1. Girth
chest | 2.
waist | 3. Girth
hips | 4. Back length | 5. Length
shorts |
| 48 | 94-97 | 82-85 | 97-99 | 74 | 55 |
| 50 | 98-101 | 86-89 | 99-101 | 76 | 57 |
| 52 | 102-105 | 90-93 | 102-104 | 78 | 59 |
| 54 | 106-109 | 94-97 | 104-106 | 80 | 61 |
| 56 | 110-113 | 98-101 | 107-109 | 82 | 63 |
| 58 | 114-117 | 102-105 | 110-112 | 84 | 65 |
| 60 | 118-121 | 106-109 | 112-114 | 86 | 67 |
| Size | 1. Girth
chest | 2.
waist | 3. Girth
hips | 4. Back length | 5. Length
shorts |
| 44 | 86-89 | 64-67 | 94-97 | 69 | 52 |
| 46 | 90-93 | 68-72 | 98-101 | 71 | 53.5 |
| 48 | 94-97 | 73-76 | 102-105 | 73 | 55 |
| 50 | 98-101 | 77-80 | 106-109 | 75 | 56. 5 |
| 52 | 102-105 | 81-84 | 110-113 | 77 | 58 |
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| 158 | 80-82 | 70-72 | 81-84 | 65 | 50 |
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highlights from the court in the MH17 case
Two Buks, a fraudulent dispatcher and 20 witnesses to the rocket launch: the highlights from the court in the MH17 case
MH17 shot down over Ukraine.
Photo: BBC News
Eight years after the Boeing crash in the skies over Donbass, a Dutch court will deliver its verdict this Thursday, November 17. In the two and a half years that have gone into this case, the courtroom has gone through documents in detail, debunked conspiracy theories, explored alternative scenarios, listened to intercepted telephone conversations, and called on witnesses.
Two thirds of those killed in the Mh27 crash from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on 17 July 2014 were Dutch, and it was a Dutch prosecutor who led the International Investigation Team that conducted the investigation.
Russia continues to call this case politicized, biased and one-sided, although the court carefully studied all the arguments presented by Moscow.
On the eve of the verdict, the BBC reports on important findings from the trial.
The following are accused of involvement in the plane crash:
- Igor Girkin (Strelkov) - a Russian citizen - Minister of Defense of the self-proclaimed DPR, a retired FSB officer.
- Sergei Dubinsky - Russian citizen - retired senior officer of the GRU of the Russian army.
- Oleg Pulatov - citizen of Russia - lieutenant colonel of the reserve of the Airborne Forces of the Russian army.
- Leonid Kharchenko - citizen of Ukraine - commander of the intelligence unit of the GRU DPR.
The Dutch prosecutor's office asked for a life sentence for each of them, but emphasizes that none of the defendants personally participated in the launch of a missile at a Boeing.
The DPR has repeatedly asked for a Buk. At least two installations were sent from Russia
In the very first days of the trial of those involved in the plane crash, it turned out that in 2014 at least two Buk anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) headed from Russia to the territory controlled by the separatists.
The Dutch prosecutor's office is sure that GRU officer Oleg Ivannikov was responsible for transporting the first Buk.
But his convoy did not reach the DPR - the Buk broke down on the way. We established this with the help of telephone wiretaps, as well as on the basis of photo and video materials that the investigators received.
Sergei Dubinsky, a retired GRU officer of the Russian General Staff, was responsible for moving the second Buk, the prosecutor's office has established. This "Buk" successfully reached Donetsk, and then went towards the city of Snezhnoye, which is confirmed by numerous photos and videos. The convoy, in which the Buk was traveling, even got into the picture from the satellite. On it, the air defense system travels to the area of \u200b\u200bthe proposed missile launch site near Snezhnoye.
The investigation into the Mh27 case received numerous intercepts of telephone conversations, from which it turned out that the commanders of the military formations of the self-proclaimed DPR repeatedly asked Russian officials and generals to deliver a Buk to them in order to counter Ukrainian aviation.
On one of these recordings, which was listened to in court, a man with the voice of Igor Strelkov (Girkin), who then worked as the Minister of Defense of the so-called DPR, several times asks for anti-tank artillery and "normal air defense". Strelkov adds that "all this is necessary, of course, with specialists already ready."
A day before the Boeing crash, a man with the voice of GRU officer Sergei Dubinsky complains: "If I manage to get a Buk in the morning and send it there, it will be good, if I don't make it, then ass...". Telling a colleague about the difficult situation at the front, he adds: "We have nothing else to do, only hope for the Buk."
- "Only hope for the Buk". What is known from the new conversations of the suspects in the death of Mh27
The route along which the Buk moved through the territory controlled by the DPR was reconstructed in detail based on the testimony of witnesses, many of whom were former members of separatist formations, as well as on the billing of cell phones of a group of people , which were constantly near the installation.
All this was also confirmed by the data of telephone conversations of the separatists, which were intercepted and recorded by the Security Service of Ukraine.
Intercepts are the main source of information
A significant part of the evidence base at this trial is the records of telephone conversations intercepted by the SBU and transferred to the investigation.
The three defendants - Strelkov, Dubinsky and Pulatov - do not deny that it is their voices that are heard on most of the audio recordings of wiretaps attached to the case. The position of Leonid Kharchenko is unknown - he has never commented on the accusations and the course of the process.
Sergei Dubinsky, however, claimed that some of the recordings were allegedly edited together from conversations of different times. Pulatov, on the other hand, assured that he knew about wiretapping of phones, therefore, allegedly, he often deliberately told lies.
To confirm or refute these allegations, the Dutch prosecutor's office conducted a phonoscopic examination of the recordings and found no evidence of editing.
Next, the prosecutors compared all the intercepted conversations of the accused among themselves and with other military men known to them. They did not find logical contradictions, which would necessarily be present if people interspersed truth and fiction in order to confuse the enemy.
Moreover, the authenticity of the incidents that the defendants discussed allegedly to misinform the enemy is confirmed by photo and video materials taken by eyewitnesses at the scene of the events on July 16-18, 2014 in Donbass.
The data on the geolocation of the cell phones of the defendants speaks volumes. Having studied the billing of Kharchenko's mobile, the investigation noticed that his device was connected to the towers in Zugres, Shakhtersk and Snezhnoye, which corresponds to the expected route of the military convoy with the Buk.
map Photo: BBC
And just half an hour after the Boeing crash, a man with the voice of Kharchenko reported to a man with the voice of Dubinsky:
- We are on the spot, we have already shot down one "dryer" (meaning the Su fighter).
0123
- Well done, ah, well done! One "drying" was shot down, well done! - the interlocutor answers.
Kharchenko's phone was turned off at the time of the missile launch on the Boeing. But intercepts and cell phone geolocation shortly before and shortly after the crash suggest that Kharchenko was at the launch site.
Judging by the geolocation of Pulatov's phone, he also accompanied the Buk convoy. Moreover, as the court noted, in his testimony Pulatov (he was the only one of the accused who interacted with the court) does not dispute the main scenario of the investigation (the launch of a Buk missile from under Snizhne, which was under the control of the DPR forces), but only speaks of his non-involvement in this launch.
Shortly after the Boeing crash, the accused actively called back, rejoicing at the downed plane, which they took for a Ukrainian fighter, and describing it as their success.
"I'm in Marinovka now. We've bang the plane just now too, 'drying'.
Just over Saur-Mohyla. We've got a Buk-M, here," says a man with Dubinsky's voice.
Other versions were checked, but they were not confirmed. In conversations among themselves, officers of the military units of the DPR began to discuss the version that flight MH17 was shot down by a Ukrainian military aircraft. And the Buk, sent from Russia, allegedly shot down not a civilian airliner, but this Ukrainian attack aircraft.
However, neither on the day of the disaster, nor for the next eight years until today, neither Russia nor the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic showed the world the wreckage of the Ukrainian military aircraft, which allegedly could have shot down a Boeing.
Mh27 wreckage Photo: BBC
Ukraine, by contrast, handed over flight data for all of its military aircraft to the Netherlands on 17 July 2014. All of these sorties were outside the combat zone in the south-east of Ukraine.
- MH17 trial: conspiracy theories or alternative scenarios
Despite this, the international investigation team continued to investigate this alternative version of the Mh27 crash.
When parsing and analyzing the wreckage of the aircraft, experts did not find traces of bullets from an aircraft gun or traces of any other missiles hit, except for the Buk missile.
Experts examined the bodies of the crew and passengers of the aircraft and found submunitions found only in Buk missiles (for example, metal elements in the shape of a butterfly).
Investigators then found those often mentioned in Russian state media - air traffic controller from Dnepropetrovsk Anna Petrenko, who allegedly disappeared mysteriously after the crash of the Boeing, enigmatic but knowledgeable Spanish air traffic controller Carlos and Ukrainian military pilot Vladislav Voloshin.
Pilot Voloshin told the investigation back in 2015 that he had not made combat missions on July 17, 2014 (this is also confirmed by documents from the Ukrainian Air Force provided to the Netherlands). Commander Voloshin also willingly gave testimony to the investigation. Dispatcher Petrenko stated that she did not see any military aircraft on her radar.
And the man who called himself "controller Carlos" admitted that he had never been an air traffic controller. It turned out that he had previously been convicted of fraud, and now lives in Romania. After talking with each of them, the investigation came to the conclusion that the mentioned people had nothing to do with the downing of MH17.
A fragment of a rocket that, according to the investigation team, shot down a Boeing flying over the Donbass Photo: EPA
The investigation also studied dozens of hours of wiretapping of calls from the military of the self-proclaimed DPR - they did not mention Ukrainian military aircraft before the crash of MH17. The Russian controller, who saw the MH17 on his radar and was supposed to be flying in Russian airspace, also did not mention any other aircraft near the Malaysian Boeing.
Investigators also interviewed the crew of a civilian aircraft flying on July 17, 2014 near the Boeing MH17, when it was in Ukrainian airspace. The pilots and flight attendants of this liner reported that they did not see any other aircraft in the sky.
There is no mention of other aircraft in the sky in the recordings of conversations between the MH17 pilots.
On July 21, 2014, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that "Russian air traffic control systems recorded a Ukrainian Air Force aircraft, presumably a Su-25, climbing in the direction of a Malaysian Boeing 777."
The combination of all these factors allowed the trial to dismiss the version that the Boeing MH17 was destroyed as a result of an attack by a military aircraft.0123
Ukrainian "Buks" in the Donetsk region remained at the base. It is on this version that the Russian Ministry of Defense still insists and the defense of the accused Oleg Pulatov emphasizes.
In July 2014, the Russian military released several satellite images that showed that on the day of the Boeing crash, the Ukrainian Buk launcher suddenly left the Ukrainian military base in the Donetsk region.
The Netherlands asked Moscow to send the originals of these images as early as October 2014, shortly after the publication of this information.
The Russian Ministry of Defense answered this question only six years later, saying that the original photographs were not preserved.
On the other hand, images of the Ukrainian military base for July 2014 were provided by the European Space Agency. The July 17 footage shows the Ukrainian Buk still at the base. Comparing the ESA image with a copy of the image of the Russian Ministry of Defense, the investigation found significant discrepancies.
Both the Google footage and the ESA image on July 16 clearly show a plowed field near the military base of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. For some reason, the same field is not plowed in the Russian picture. Having studied the metadata of the file published by Russia (after all, Moscow never sent the original), the investigation found signs of image editing in it. Comparing the image of Russia with images from other satellites, the investigation concluded that Moscow published the image from June 2014, passing it off as a later one.
Nevertheless, the Dutch prosecutor's office studied scenarios for launching a Buk missile from settlements that were at the time of the disaster in the neutral zone or under the control of Ukrainian forces.
Russian officials, pro-Kremlin media and specialists from the Almaz-Antey concern (they manufacture the Buk air defense system) claimed that they could have fired at the plane from a field near Amvrosievka, from Yenakiyevo, from a factory north of Snezhnoye, and also from a farm near the village of Zaroshchenskoye . All these options turned out to be untenable - either the launch site did not converge with the permissible flight path of the rocket, or witnesses from among local residents and the military of the DPR denied the possibility of launching from these points.
For example, the calculations of the Dutch and Belgian experts, including using data from the Almaz-Antey concern, showed that, given the nature of the damage to the Boeing and the characteristics of the Buk missile, a launch from near Zaroshchensky would have been impossible.
It was also not possible to find witnesses of the rocket launch from under Zaroshchensky. Russian journalists who spoke with residents of the village of Zaroshchenskoye reported that they did not hear the rocket launch, and the area was completely controlled by the DPR forces.
Wreckage of Malaysian Airlines Boeing flying MH17 flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur Photo: Reuters
. After carefully examining the documents provided by Moscow, the investigators noticed that the production number of the rocket, which Russia spoke about, did not match the number of the rocket, the wreckage of which was found at the site of the crash of the Malaysian Boeing. And in the documents themselves there are a number of corrections and it is not clear when the additions were made.
Having heard all these arguments, the court ruled out the version that the MH17 flight could have been shot down by the Buk of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Eyewitnesses of the rocket launch
Testimony of 20 witnesses was presented in court, who stated that they saw the trace of the rocket launch on July 17, 2014 in the sky.
Of these, eight people directly saw the flight of a rocket in the sky, and four more heard a roar, and then saw a trail in the sky.
According to the description of witnesses, this trail was similar to the one usually left by an SAM missile - it can be seen for several minutes after the flight. The moment of launching the Buk projectiles is also accompanied by the sound of a loud bang, which occurs due to the fact that the rocket develops supersonic speed. This sound, according to documentation and tests, can be heard at a distance of about five kilometers for 20 seconds.
During the work of the investigation team at the Boeing crash site, the wreckage of the aircraft was guarded by armed supporters of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic Photo: Getty Images
and now, this settlement was under the control of the forces of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic).
Some indicated a more precise location - a place not far from Saur-mogila or the village of Pervomayskoye.
The court paid special attention to the testimony of a witness identified as X48. He said that on July 17, shortly before the Boeing crash (around 16:20 local time), he was at a checkpoint near the village of Pervomaiskoye, which was controlled by the DPR forces. He saw a military vehicle with green rockets drive by, then drive towards an agricultural field and disappear into the trees.
Then the witness heard a roar, after which a whistle and saw a white trail appear in the sky, going towards the city of Torez (judging by the data of radars and black boxes, the Boeing MH17 was in that direction at that moment). A moment later, an explosion was heard in the sky, and then the witness saw the wreckage of the aircraft falling from the clouds onto the ground.
This important witness was not named in court because he feared for his safety, but he testified in the presence of three judges who verified his identity.
Court in the Netherlands Photo: Reuters
To assess the credibility of this testimony, the investigating judge examined the telephone billing data of this witness.
It turned out that on July 17, he really was in the area he was talking about.
Data that the launch of a missile at a Boeing took place from a field near Snezhnoye and Pervomaisky was published by the United States back in 2014. They refer to the fact that their military satellite recorded the moment the rocket was launched. The court several times asked Washington to release the picture, but the Americans refuse to do so, citing the fact that it would reveal the technical capabilities of the Pentagon's satellites.
- MH17 Trial: US may have picture of Boeing missile launch
The picture itself was eventually only allowed to be viewed by the Dutch Chief Prosecutor for Terrorism, and the court was provided with a memorandum (official document) describing the data .
The prosecutor, who saw the picture with his own eyes, confirmed that the information in the memorandum corresponded to the information of the source, which he had read.
As a result, the court agreed with the version of the investigation that only a missile fired from a Buk launcher located in a field near Snizhne could bring down the Boeing.
