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Russian Government Edits Wikipedia On Flight MH17

Posted by samzenpus on from the writing-history dept.

An anonymous reader writes A political battle has broken out on Wikipedia over an entry relating to the crash of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, with the Russian government reportedly removing sections which accuse it of providing 'terrorists' with missiles that were used to down the civilian airliner. A Twitter bot which monitors edits made to the online encyclopedia from Russian government IP addresses spotted that changes are being made to a page relating to the crash. All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK) changed a Russian language version of a page listing civil aviation accidents to say that "The plane was shot down by Ukrainian soldiers." That edit replaced text – written just an hour earlier – which said MH17 had been shot down "by terrorists of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic with Buk system missiles, which the terrorists received from the Russian Federation."

2 of 667 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I don't see the problem. by wisnoskij · · Score: 0, Troll

    Except one of these sides actually knows the truth, or the closest thing to it, and is a primary source, the other side are just internet idiots trying to push an anti "Red" agenda left over from the Soviet Union and American anti communist propaganda. The Russian government is likely the most knowledge institution in the world when it comes to this incident. Sharing that knowledge with Wikipedia is just transparency, unless we know that they are knowingly disseminating false information. Not that this is unlikely, just that it is a possibility that they are telling the truth (I have absolutely no knowledge of modern Russian politics or this incident, but last I heard we know next to nothing).

    --
    Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
  2. Re:I don't see the problem. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

    No.
    If you target soldiers, you may be a freedom fighter.
    If you target police and other government employees you might be a freedom fighter.
    If you target civilians, like some guy trying to buy food for his family in the local market, you are a terrorist.

    Terrorists are vermin, to be exterminated as soon as possible.