From the painting The Roses of Heliogabalus
“Victoria came in sideways to get Starfish, she twisting this way, then that, to avoid the gyrating flesh that clung to Agent 008 like kelp in a tidepool. Taking hold of her arm, she was shocked when Starfish turned in anger, and was about to slap her hand away.”
Starfish is dancing with the drum crowd at Wayne Morse Square. Note the date I posted this.
We have the next James Bond! I am convinced the search for the Next Bond, was a Psychic Search conducted by me and my Spirit Guide. In my chapter The Descent of Anna, I leave it up to Starfish to discover the perfect look I am looking for. Their image is side by side. I can not divulge the name of the model with roses in her hair because of Putin’s wrath.
I am a architect, artist, poet, author, politician. Newspaperman. I am also….A Psychic-Prophet..
John Presco
It is 5:38 A.M. 2-22-2023
I’ve changed my mind. Yulia Rose is a Russian model I employ for my vision of Miriam Starfish Christling – a Christian! In this video of Putin’s speech, you see the Patriarch Kirill sitting right in front of Putin as HE TELLS A STORY that is a lie, about why Russia had to invade Ukraine and murder women and children. I tried to capture the words under this Antichrist that declares the Ukranian People, Nazis. For three years I have debated whether to employ my fictional characters against REAL PEOPLE. Putin and Kirill – are not real! Yet, together, they put an end to the last nuclear treaty. What does the young generation – think about this? What do you feel.
Raquel Welch died seven days ago. This morning I realized she played a alpha female cavewoman. She was famous for her ample bosoms’. I think I read that endowed women took men’s minds off the hideous Cold War, and the truth we can be incinerated – just like that! When I found this video of the Russian model, Yulia Rose, I had the core theme of my James Bond book. What if Bond’s granddaughter is a sequestered church mouse that doesn’t get out much. She falls in love with her bodyguard who doesn’t wear a bra – or a blouse = because her hair is trained to naturally cover her breasts, a trick she learned while living as a savage with her Christian survivalist parents. I’ve always wanted to write a novel in the style of Victor Hugo. The Hunchback of Notre Dame, is my guide. I was curious to see how a woman would handle this WOKE scenario – before this word existed! Some women want to be Sex Objects. How would Christians handle Ms. Rose – and Jesus?
https://news.yahoo.com/putin-rails-against-west-annual-130342061.html
Love Dance – With Ducks
Posted on July 27, 2018 by Royal Rosamond Press
The Royal Janitor
Victoria came in sideways to get Starfish, she twisting this way, then that, to avoid the gyrating flesh that clung to Agent 008 like kelp in a tidepool. Taking hold of her arm, she was shocked when Starfish turned in anger, and was about to slap her hand away.
“Don’t you dare! You got to come with me – now! Professor Bond is about to give his lecture.”
Starfish let out a whimper, and was pouting. Many hands tried to pull her back into the drum circle where she was a star. An old hag came up to them.
“Can we have her?”
Starfish gave Victoria a look of, hope. Perhaps things will continue to go her way.
“I’m sorry. She’s not mine to give!”
Again there came a whimper from Their Star, who made clopping sounds with her sandals all the way to the car. When she grabbed her drum, and clicked the trunk open, Victoria stamped her feet.
“No! You have to concentrate. Now get in!”
On the way to the University of Oregon, Starfish ran into her pad looking for more info on Professor John von Bond.
“Here’s a stalking report on him. Some chic is trashing his blog. She says it’s real creepy. Let’s have a looksee!”
“Does he say he’s related to me?’
“No, but he claims he is a Comet King, heir to the teaching of Meher Baba!”
“Who’s that? Never mind. We’re here”
Victoria parked haphazardly and put her DIPLOMAT shield in the window. Starfish never went to college. This was her first time on a campus. She took in all the beautiful students. The young women took notice of her, and turned their heads after she passed them. Their was an amazing aura about her. Waves of goosebumps went up and down her half naked body. There was fine mist of perspiration that caught the last light, and were like tiny rainbows. She was electrically charged due to her amazing dancing. However, she was not happy when the beautiful young men did not even look at her. Their heads were down, their eyes locked on their phone screens. At six-two, Starfish wondered if they were intimidated.
Finally, she grabbed one, on his way up river to spawn.
“Excuse me. I couldn’t help but notice your features. Victoria raised her eyebrows when she gently took hold of his chin.
“Very symmetric. I can see your father’s profile. And, you have your mothers high cheekbones. Did you know you are half your mother,and half your father, but, it is through your father…..you find God. Did you know that?…….I’m going to kiss you now!”
Victoria made a move to prevent this kiss, but, was repelled by a powerful energy field that she put around – them. Tilting his head back, Victoria delivered a soft and sensuous kiss, that froze them in time. His cellphone fell to the walkway, but, did not break. There was a beautiful sigh, that sounded like the opening of Morning Glories.
“You can go, now!” And Starfish watched him swim away. Turning, she stopped in her tracks when she saw Victoria was blushing. Their eyes were locked. She got it. Victoria dreamed of being kissed like that. Star approached, took her hand, and they walked the next hundred yards like this, they a rarity, as holding hands on campus went out of style twenty years ago.
“I was conceived a hundred yards from here. I feel it in my bones! I was made – with much love!”
Descent of Innana Into The Emerald Valley
Posted on September 23, 2019 by Royal Rosamond Press
When Victoria gave Miriam an Art Tour of Osborne House, she was eternally grateful for each lesson her lover gave her. After every exposure to high culture, she would give Victoria a look of total devotion. Every look may have come with a mini-climax. It was pure adoration. Starfish has a hero! When they stood before the painting of ‘The Roses of Heliogabalus – MIRIUM SHREIKED!
“There’s you! That’s you!”
“Where?”
“HERE! Right here!” and Miriam was jabbing her finger on the reclining beauty over and over – real hard!
“STOP IT!” Victoria shrieked, and grabbed Miriam’s wrist, and received a look that could kill. Victoria did not back down, or let go of Miriam’s wrist. There was a hard stare-down. Victoria was puzzled about how she could best control Miriam’s adolescent behavior that she exhibited in front of Professor John Von John. She insulted the fuck out of him. As Miriam got closer in order to examine the work of art for damage, she heard;
“I’m sorry. I will never do it again!”
Victoria came over and cupped Miriam’s cheek in her hand.
“I hope I didn’t hurt you. I love you Miriam. Now I’m going to work on my sculpture for an hour or two. Let’s have an early dinner, and work on some files in bed. We have gotten behind.”
Miriam insisted they eat on the main dining room. Heading for their room, Miriam spotted roses.
“Oh look! Someone has dropped rose petals. Let’s see where they lead!”
“Sure! You lead the way!” Victoria said, then let go a nervous burp, because her great powers of deduction already dropped a GIANT CLUE! Oh please – YOU – not there. Oh – YOU – why have thou forsaken me?”
Turning a corner, the roses made a beeline for HER bedroom.
“What’s in here?” Opening the door to Queen Victoria’s sacred bedroom – she threw it open!
“Welcome my Queen! Time for you to retire!”
There were candles and roses everywhere. Victoria’s bed was filled with rose pedals. This was the bed she died in, and it remained un-disturbed for a very long time.
Miriam began to spin around in her head. She was in a whirling vortex of rose pedals. A trap door opened beneath her, and she stared down into the bowels of hell. Getting in that bed was the most forbidden thing to do in Britain. Her Wildness had learned mothing from the tapping finger on the oil painting lecture. Now she began to take off her clothes.
Since Donald and Boris took office, Miriam and many millions of people, of class, were not the same. Reality was upended. Queen Elizabeth began to confide in Victoria, because she was so sensible, level-headed. Being a virgin really helped in Vitoria’s new Royal Brand. Then there came her bond with the Wild Woman, the Giant Nut who hopped about in Prince Albert’s oak trees. The jig was up.
Victoria began to unbutton her blouse as she worked on her design for the 27th. letter of the alphabet that defined what lies beyond the A Type personality. It was a halved swastika. The “I must always have my way ” letter was born.
Miriam put two rose wreaths on their heads replicating her favorite painting. She just had to do this, Victoria concluded, as she slipped in between the forbidden sheets. Nothing, or no one, was going to stop her. This is why she was one the greatest assasins on the planet. She was utterly inspired!
Starfish grabbed a handful of rose petals and sprinkled them on their lovely breasts that rested on the hundred year old satin. Picking up their cellphones, they summoned old business.
“O.K. I’ll go first. See this women? She was a good friend of my mother who studied acting under her. I ran into her daughter in Eugene at the Drum Circle. She was amazed when she saw me doing the Labyrinth Dance that my mother taught me. She started dancing, to show me she was taught this dance by her mother who died when she was nine! I was nine when my mother died. She told me Catherine has an archive at the UofO library. I went there and got it copyied. Here it is.
“Why didn’t you show me this earlier?” Victoria asked with a pang of jealousy.
Duh! I was very busy. My boss was chasing me around her desk trying to get sex!”
“Do you have a photo of the daughter?” Victoria asked, she ignoring the two pokes in the rib from Miriam’s elbow.
“That may not be a good idea. I can feel green-gooey jealous vibes flowing off you. She married this Monroe guy who invented a new religion. It’s a cross between Shakerism and ISSIS. He is very strict. Bell had to be home before dark.”
“Belle. Is that her name?” Victoria asked, with icy breath.
“Yes. Her mother introduced Gamelan Music to the University of Oregon.”
Miriam did have a life before she saw Victoria’s very pale blue eyes. She liked to do things – her way. She couldn’t wait to walk the streets of Eugene like her mother did. Her mother was a Hippie Vamp. She had many lovers. She was famous on 13th. When her daughter came down 13th. to the campus, she really poured it on. She was very exaggerated. Starfish wanted to make sure she left the same impression her mother did. She put in her earplugs and played her favorite song.
As fate would have it, Marilyn’s daughter, Niesha Calkins was very involved in the Gamelan at the UofO. Belle seemed oblivious. But, she hid who she was, and is. Catherine and Jeff conducted Labyrinth Dances in Eugene, to Gamelan. I understand Belle’s mother cast a long shadow. She was born to a Super Mother when she was forty-five. This is what go my full attention. I never beheld the ‘Hidden One’. Belle………inspires me!
John Presco
The Boilermaker Club
Posted on June 6, 2021 by Royal Rosamond Press
The Royal Janitor
by
John Presco
Copyright 2021
Victoria Rosamond Bond – was on her own! As she was led down a dark alley by a rather large gentleman with bowed back, she wondered if she should own a sense of danger. For months, she left that ownership up to her bodyguard, who was not invited to the headquarters of BAD that was located in Scotland. This gentle giant was taking her to see her masters. There was a Gothic feel to all this. Victoria was reminded of Sherlock Holmes.
Suddenly, she spotted a plaque on the wall, and just had to read it, to the chagrin of Lurch, as she would call him. She had become a big fan of the Addam’s Family when she worked on the College of Arms. Her official job title was ‘Duster’ because this is what she did most of the day, since she was put in care of the dear old couple who took advantage of little Victoria since she was five. They pocketed her earnings. It’s all there – on the books! So no one would ask questions, she was called ‘The Royal Janitor’. Careful! You do not want to insult the Queen.
Lurch, grunted, showing his impatience with Victoria’s character-flaw. She drove Miriam crazy as she had to read – everything – especially if it contained anything that looked like a cote of arms. Turning to ask if they could stop in and have a drink, she felt a big blast of disgust from Gerald Keith who was wearing a kilt with the colors of the Keith clan. Looking both ways down the narrow alley, Gerald grabbed Victoria’s arm, bruskly, and with the other, turned a very old door latch, and pulled the divisional head of BAD – out of the darkened alley! Thank God Miriam was not here, or Lurch would be dead! No one saw the shadow of a woman being dragged into a doorway. This was too – film noir. Miss Bond was having – her first adventure! In this respect, she was no longer a virgin.
Victoria gasped at finding herself in a large Gothic cathedral like room with a giant fireplace with huge logs burning with a authenticity you can only find in England. There were twelve men standing at the most rustic bar in the known world. It had ancient history written all over it. That’s when Rosamond Bond spotted the writing and cotes of arms carved on the mantle;
“Take a shot – and have a beer!”
“Quick Miss Bond! Quay up to the bar, and take a shot. It’s almost six!”
Victoria searched the faces of the smiling gentleman for – a sign – of what, she did not know. On the bar were thirteen shot glasses, and a glass of stout next to each one. A clock with the face of an old boiler, began to chime.
Victoria rushed over to the bar feeling a bit elated. Growing up alone, she was deprived of most social rituals. Watching her peers pick up their shot glass and down the finest whiskey in the world, she followed suit. Feeling the smooth fire start to burn, she now downed her glass of stout like a greedy pig. She laughed when she came up for air, and wiped the froth from her lips. She can’t remember when she had so much fun!
“Quick! To the fire Miss Bond!”
Victoria squealed when she felt the fire turn her legs into rubber, she almost falling flat on her face as she ran to the giant hearth.
“Throw it in! Smash it!” several BAD leaders cried as one.
Tossing in her glass like a girl, Bond mimicked the cry of solidarity, and now picked up a fire poker and stirred the logs till thousands of hot Cinder Fairies rose up the chimney! This is it! The best of the best. Bond realized she was the first woman to be admitted to The Poker Club!
Lurch now stomped to the door, opened it, looked both ways, and ughed! Out they filed like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. At the end of the alley was a Mercedes van that the comrades hopped into. And away they sped to a craggy castle on the coast.
“Now we’re off to the truly secret headquarters! You must be congratulated. Your report on The Last Audient of the Habsburgs helped immensely. A new looted work of art has surfaced. A very wealthy Jewess has given up her fight for a Pissarro that was taken from a bank vault by the Nazis. You will be going to Oklahoma after our meeting.”
“Have you ever wondered who the Levites were not given any land in the Promised Land?”
“No. I leave all Biblical topics to Miriam. I’m sure she can brief me!”
“I’m afraid not. We suspect she is a Russian agent who is also looking for the secret of longevity.”
“You see. Her grandmother was a Petrov, who allegedly descend from the disciple, Peter, who may have lived to be two hundred and eighty-five years old. He too was of the Levite heritage -who were forbidden to drink wine. This is why they became Nazarites for life. “
“This also allowed a branch of Kohans to escape The Fire that was lead poisoning that swept the Roman world when a big wine merchant had cheap goblets made from tin and lead. They were dipped in a gold compound a alchemist made to give the customer the feel they were of the golden gods. A million people went crazy due to the lead poisoning. This gold glazing also created a permanent mutation. We have evidence that Jesus was a Nazarite like his cousin John the Baptist. Both men were Levites who never drank wine, thus they were spared the mutation. With the help of Egyptian alchemists, they made a antidote taken from their blood. Jesus did not turn water into wine, but, wine into water. He submerged and baptized his relatives after having them drink the cure. This is the original eucharist, that was altered.”
“This is why we drink whiskey with a beer chaser. Our beer is made from an ancient Egyptian recipe.”
Victoria felt faint. Her head was spinning.
“Can I have another shot of whiskey, please?”
“No. You cant have another boilermaker until a year from now.”
Victoria wished Starfish was here to fight for her rights.
“I can surely drink what I want. I’m an adult.”
“No – you can’t. You already have a problem!”
Bond felt her face flush. Did they know about the two bottles of cooking Sherry she had in her suitcase. She picked up a habit of sipping the Sherry when the cook went home. She was so bored. She liked to feel lightheaded at the end of her log day – of dusting.
“The reason the Levites were not given any land, is because some of them lived to be seven hundred years old. There were the laws of the Jubilee that did not allow God’s land to be sold into perpetuity.”
“A tribe of Russians were found in Siberia that are famous for their longevity. One member member is Yeltsin’s grandfather.”
“Your, friend, is the granddaughter of Yeltsen!”
“Who is not dead!”
“What?” Bond muttered, wishing she could fall into a deep sleep, or, take a longer than usual nap. Victoria’s heart was racing. For a second she thought she head Miriam was dead.
“Does Putin know?” Bond asked.
“Yes! Yeltsin was a terrible alcoholic who brought the Soviet Union to its knees. Alas Russia had come up with a cure. How well it works, we do not know. This is why we want Starfish to defect – and get into Russian detox. If she is one of Putin’s Night Whores, then, you lost your bodyguard.”
“She might be….a Yeltsin Vampire! Were talking about the largest crime family in the world.”
Bond went around the van and gave each Boiler Dude a hard look. None of this can be true. She has fallen in with the world’s greatest bullshitters who hang across the street from a world famous pub.
“The Buck Institute may have developed the Lost Levite Elixir, and are about to open Recovery houses all over America. The Kurds sold them the secret.”
“Putin, with the help of the Russian Orthodox church, is about to open inpatient Recovery camps – all over Russia.’
“We have to find a cure, and that is why we are looking at the Habsburg, who descend from the Rougemonts, who were Knight Templars, who we suspect found the Elixir in a tunnel on the Mount of Olives.”
“We’re here.” said Lurch.
When Victoria got out of the van – she gasped! The sun was just touching down on the sea. She had her vision again. This was the place she saw herself getting married at. Dunnottar Castle was her favorite place on earth.
Code of Jeanne (John) de Rougemont | Rosamond Press
A Jewish family whose relatives had their artworks looted by the Nazis said on Tuesday they were giving up their claim to a Pissarro painting and transferring ownership to the University of Oklahoma, where it had been on display until 2017.
Léone Meyer, whose family’s collection was looted by the Nazis, said she was giving up her long-running efforts to donate the painting to the Musée d’Orsay in Paris where it has been exhibited in recent years. Title to the work, “La Bergère,” or “Shepherdess Bringing in Sheep,” would instead go to the University of Oklahoma under an agreement that would ensure the painting continues to be exhibited in both countries.
“I have now regained my freedom at a price that I fully accept,” Dr. Meyer said in a statement about her plan for the painting, which she discovered in 2012 in the collection at the Oklahoma university, to which it had been donated in 2000. It was later transferred to the museum in Paris.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Poker_Club
The Mournful Wail of The Lost Mothers
Posted on September 26, 2019 by Royal Rosamond Press
For Our Eyes Only
by
John Presco
Copyright 2019
Victoria Bond chose to take the train to London to see Clive Rougemont. She needed time to think. She deduced she and Miriam Starfish Christling were in deep shit. How deep, was not the question. Victoria wrote this on her yellow legal pad;
“How deep do you want to go!”
That’s when she heard Miriam’s mournful waling that caught up with the whistle of the train at every crossing, proving a mathematical relativity that only her dear lover could fathom. Victoria felt quaking in her throat as she knew her beloved Wild Woman was doing everything she could to keep this question, down;
“Are you going to betray me, my love?”
The heat of her tears began to blur her mission, which was to Deprogram herself. She took about BAD’s treatment on David Hume’s Guillotine, which was the prescribed moral and logical lifeboat all BAD agents were instructed to use – to the best of their ability. There was no guarantee this lifeboat will save your ass, or, anyone’s ass you might-ought to be considering worth saving.
“A boat, is a boat, is a boat. All boats are the same because they serve three purpouses. 1. They keep the occupant dry. 2. They keep the occupant fro drowining. 3. They get you to and from you destination. Our object is to get other spies to lose tract of what a boat is. If you are not sure you are lost, then, read this……..
In every system of morality, which I have hitherto met with, I have always remarked, that the author proceeds for some time in the ordinary way of reasoning, and establishes the being of a God, or makes observations concerning human affairs; when of a sudden I am surprised to find, that instead of the usual copulations of propositions, is, and is not, I meet with no proposition that is not connected with an ought, or an ought not. This change is imperceptible; but is, however, of the last consequence. For as this ought, or ought not, expresses some new relation or affirmation, ’tis necessary that it should be observed and explained; and at the same time that a reason should be given, for what seems altogether inconceivable, how this new relation can be a deduction from others, which are entirely different from it. But as authors do not commonly use this precaution, I shall presume to recommend it to the readers; and am persuaded, that this small attention would subvert all the vulgar systems of morality, and let us see, that the distinction of vice and virtue is not founded merely on the relations of objects, nor is perceived by reason.”
Miriam’s wail got even louder because she knew her beloved Miriam was reading this paragraph – that she refused to read!
“I would never betray you this way!”
“What way would you betray me?” was Victoria’s comeback. Then she wrote;
“When mothers die young, when their children are young, the greater tears to be shed, are shed by the dead mother, for she has lost them, her beloved souls that were put in her care.”
Victoria studied what she wrote and asked if this was pure Victoria sentiment, or, a valid observation.
“What is the primary and most lingering emotion the children own after losing their mothers?”
Victoria tapped her pen on her lower teeth and gazed at nothing in particular. She thought she saw Miriam running alongside the train, very fast. She was shouting to Victoria.
“What? What are you saying?”
Victoria got up and lowered the window.
“Speak up!”
“The answer is, we all feel guilty. We feel we caused our mother’s death!”
Victoria dropped her yellow pad, and sunk her face in her trembling hands. Where did this answer come from? Is there such a thing as a psychic interenion. Did the fact that she, Miriam and Belle all lost their mothers when they were nine. That’s three nines? Does this have any meaning? If Miriam were here, she would be all over this with he PI ditty.
All of a sudden, Miriam is running alongside the train. She is holding up a large poster-board upon which is written…..
“9+9=18. 1+8=9. 18+9=27. 2+7=9”
Victoria almost fainted. She was not longer blocked to math. Miram had been jamming and cramming her brain with simple match riddles. When she asked why she had not read Hume’s Guilotine, she sad.
“He is fucking with my parents Russian Fairytales and the Secret Math they found that applies to them. This is why it is important we find Queen Victoria’s lost library. I suspect it is full of Fairytales that have not see the light of day for a hundred years – at least!”
Of course, a boat is not a boat – when it is a Fairytale. Now, Victoria owned the real picture of what Miriam is doing, she is stalking about Osborne House looking for Fairytale Library.
“The is hope for us – yet!” Victoria wrote. And, she put her notepad away.
I will no longer be using photographs of living people for my book. I decided twenty minute ago to use Pre-Raphaelite painting. I found the perfect image for Victoria Serena Bond. I then found this…My Winged Muses are on my side, and are my friends. I can do not wrong.
I am driving over a cliff in depicting Lesbian Lovers as spies. I made no study on this. The typical Bond plot, has James getting good reasons to kill a man or ten after chasing him down. Only then is he rewarded with sexual intercourse from a woman. I want to add – what are we fighting and dying for? Any oaf can be loyal to his country for almost any damn reason. Are men and women loay to one another – like they used to be?
I was in a line at my pharmisist listening to a father and his son argue about Gamer Rules. This beautiful boy, about nine, was making a point about characters being brought back to life, and his father was saying his reasoning was not sound. I had bee working on and important aspect of my book, and begged to ask them a question. The father’s phone rang and he said;
“My son will answer your question.”
There we were at Wal-Mart pharmacy talking about a plot for a James Bond movies. I was so impressed with this sophisticated human being who had so many answers. He is the male version of Victoria – and Miriam. I better now my stuff. I just found this……This is a mother! What as son! What a father! Harry’s loyalty to Meghan is exemplary! Mission accomplished! Well done!
Open Letter To Mr. Roozemond
Posted on September 19, 2019 by Royal Rosamond Press
All day long visions of my novel ‘The Royal Janitor’ overwhelmed me. I am experiencing a flood of creativity and inspiration. I now know what my book is about. I knew it would come to me if I stayed the course and trusted my inspiration. I was shown this opening scene. Turn down volume on first video.
This letter is still be composed.
Dear Roozemond. I was looking at your video today, and for one minute I beheld how great you are. I know your daughter wants to be great, too.
I believe most of the people of the world want to be seen as great. How can we, the people, bring that choice to the multitude……..today?
John Presco
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48691488
For the first time since Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down in July 2014, prosecutors have announced charges against suspects in the case.
Three Russians and a Ukrainian have been charged with bringing a missile into the area in eastern Ukraine and with murdering 298 passengers and crew.
The passenger flight was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was shot down over conflict-hit Ukraine.
Russia said the accusations against its military were “absolutely threadbare”.
International arrest warrants have been issued for the four suspects and a court case will begin in the Netherlands on 9 March 2020.
The Dutch-led joint investigation team (JIT) named the men as Igor Girkin, Sergei Dubinsky and Oleg Pulatov from Russia, as well as Ukrainian Leonid Kharchenko.
The JIT, which is seeking to try the suspects under Dutch law, had previously said it had a “long list” of persons of interest and appealed again for witnesses as the investigation continued.
Who are the suspects?
The most prominent of the four is Igor Girkin (also known as Strelkov), who prosecutors say is a former colonel in Russia’s FSB intelligence service. He was given the minister of defence title in the rebel-held eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk.
He is believed to be the highest military officer in the area who was in direct contact with the Russian Federation. In a statement Mr Girkin said: “I can only say that militia did not shoot down the Boeing.”
The others charged are:
- Sergei Dubinsky (known as Khmury), who prosecutors say was employed by Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, was a deputy of Mr Girkin and in regular contact with Russia
- Oleg Pulatov, known as Giurza, who the JIT says was a former soldier of GRU special forces and deputy head of the intelligence service in Donetsk
- Ukrainian national Leonid Kharchenko, who has no military background but led a combat unit as a commander in eastern Ukraine, according to prosecutors
“These suspects are seen to have played an important role in the death of 298 innocent civilians”, said Dutch chief prosecutor Fred Westerbeke.
“Although they did not push the button themselves, we suspect them of close co-operation to get the [missile launcher] where it was, with the aim to shoot down an aeroplane.”
Investigators, he added, had “evidence showing that Russia provided the missile launcher”.
The investigative website Bellingcat has named 12 people it accuses of being involved in transporting the missile used to down MH17, including the four charged by the JIT.
What is known about flight MH17?
The passenger jet left Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport at 10:15 GMT on 17 July 2014 and was due to arrive at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia the following day.
A few hours after take-off, the plane lost contact with air traffic control about 50km (30 miles) from the Russia-Ukraine border.
At the time, an armed conflict was raging on the ground in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces, and several government military aircraft had been downed in the previous weeks, while government air strikes were being carried out on rebel-held areas.
The plane crashed in the Donetsk area, in territory controlled by separatists. Parts of the wreckage were found distributed over an area of about 50 sq km (19 square miles).
In October 2015, the Dutch Safety Board concluded the plane had been hit by a Buk missile, causing it to break apart in mid-air.
The JIT – which includes officials from the Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine – concluded in May 2018 that the missile system belonged to the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile brigade, based in the western Russian city of Kursk. It produced evidence that it said proved how the missile system had reached eastern Ukraine.Media captionAn animated video from the Dutch Safety Board shows the damage to the plane and how it was caused
Russia responded by denying any of its anti-aircraft missile systems had ever crossed the Ukrainian border.
Australia and the Netherlands have both officially held Russia responsible for the crash.
Will the suspects ever face trial?
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called upon Russia to “ensure that any indicted individuals currently in Russia face justice”.
But Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement that it rejected the findings of the JIT which were “aimed at discrediting the Russian Federation in the eyes of the international community”.
Unnamed Dutch officials have told news agencies that Russia refused to co-operate with the investigation but the foreign ministry denied this, saying Russia had always been interested in establishing the truth.
Russia accused the JIT of using dubious “sources of information”, including evidence “fabricated” by Ukraine, while ignoring evidence offered by Russia.
In July 2015, it vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that sought to set up a special tribunal to prosecute those responsible.
Under Article 61 of Russia’s constitution, no Russian citizen can be extradited to another state.
A former rebel official in Donetsk, Andrei Purgin, said it was “absurd” to accuse the separatists of involvement in downing the plane, Russia’s Interfax news agency reports.
Asked by AFP news agency, Ukrainian security services said they had “no information” on Leonid Kharchenko’s whereabouts or whether he was even still alive.
Who has welcomed the charges?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the Dutch-led inquiry’s conclusions, Reuters news agency reports. He said he hoped “those who are guilty of this brazen murder of innocent children, woman and men will be put in the dock”.
UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Russia “must co-operate fully with the prosecution and provide any assistance it requests” in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 2166, which was passed in response to the downing of MH17.
“The international community stands together against the impunity of those responsible for the despicable murder of 298 innocent people,” he added.
Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said the bringing of charges marked an “important milestone in the efforts to uncover the full truth and ensure that justice is done”.
Who were the victims?
A total of 283 passengers, including 80 children, and 15 crew members were killed on the flight.
The dead included 193 Dutch nationals, 43 Malaysians, 27 Australians, 12 Indonesians, 10 Britons, four Belgians, four Germans, three Philippine nationals, one New Zealander and one Canadian.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s announcement, Silene Fredriksz, who lost her son Bryce, said that in the five years since the downing of MH17, some relatives had died not knowing the truth.
“We all get older… I hope that I will know the truth before I close my eyes,” she said.
Barry Sweeney, father of 28-year-old British victim Liam, said he was still looking for the truth.
“It’s not going to bring anyone back, but if I found out why it happened, it would bring a bit of closure,” he said.
Rosamond Press 