DONETSK. Sept 17 (Interfax) - The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) has never been armed and is not armed with Buk air defense missile systems, a spokesman of the DPR operational command told Interfax.
"Militia has not been armed with Buk air defense missile systems in 2014. They are not armed with them now, too," he said.
The Russian Defense Ministry has earlier announced at a press briefing its conclusions that Buk air defense missile systems and its surface-to-air missiles could not have ended up with militiamen of the Donbas self-proclaimed republics.
"Of course, we do not have documents substantiating the information that militia has seized Buk or its missiles. I want to remind you that Ukrainian officials have earlier repeatedly issued remarks and statements that not a single air defense system or its missiles have ended up with militiamen. This is why, I believe that Ukraine itself has denied this opportunity," Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov told reporters.