Ukraine's security service has released intercepted phone calls which it says are proof that that Russian-backed separatists are to blame for shooting down the plane.
Mr Oliphant said that the intercepted recording of rebel commanders “does seem to implicate whoever was involved”.
He said: “They speak Russian, at least one of the people meant to be speaking is a very well known Russian commander called Igor Vesler.
“However, it is impossible to verify the veracity of that recording. It falls into the Ukrainian narrative a little too conveniently.”
Speaking from Ukraine, Mr Oliphant gave his analysis of the situation: “It looks like the plane was shot down by some kind of missile.
"The question is who fired that missile. There are three suspects - the Ukrainians, the Russians or the separatist rebels.
“We didn’t think the rebels had anti-aircraft missiles capable of reaching that altitude, of about 10,000m.
“It is worth noting that the pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine have shot down quite a few transport planes, quite a few Ukrainian jets. All of those were flying at a much lower altitude than this.”
18/07/14 Camilla Turner/The Telegraph
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Mr Oliphant said that the intercepted recording of rebel commanders “does seem to implicate whoever was involved”.
He said: “They speak Russian, at least one of the people meant to be speaking is a very well known Russian commander called Igor Vesler.
“However, it is impossible to verify the veracity of that recording. It falls into the Ukrainian narrative a little too conveniently.”
Speaking from Ukraine, Mr Oliphant gave his analysis of the situation: “It looks like the plane was shot down by some kind of missile.
"The question is who fired that missile. There are three suspects - the Ukrainians, the Russians or the separatist rebels.
“We didn’t think the rebels had anti-aircraft missiles capable of reaching that altitude, of about 10,000m.
“It is worth noting that the pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine have shot down quite a few transport planes, quite a few Ukrainian jets. All of those were flying at a much lower altitude than this.”
18/07/14 Camilla Turner/The Telegraph
