AN apparent attempt by Russia’s official broadcaster to help President Vladimir Putin weather criticism over the MH17 disaster at the G20 summit, may backfire after suggestions the report was fabricated.

The state-controlled Channel One broadcast images said to have come from either British or US satellites, and allegedly showing a Ukrainian fighter jet shooting down the Malaysia Airlines’ plane on July 17.

Presenter Mikhail Leontyev said they knew Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott had threatened to ask their president some difficult questions about the Malaysian Boeing.

media_camera Russian media picture ... the image appears to show a fighter jet shooting a missile in the direction of a passenger jet. Picture: LiveLeak

“Let us help him,” said Mr Leontyev before showing the “leaked” satellite images.

“To fake something like this, you’d have to be an even bigger professional than to have access to this kind of information,” he said.

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The telecast also quoted the first vice-president of the Russian Union of Engineers Ivan Andriyevsky, who said they had studied the photo and found nothing to suggest it was fake.

But web experts claimed the picture was a “crude forgery” pointing out the Malaysia Airlines’ logo was on the wrong side, and the image was a direct copy of a publicity shot of a Boeing 767, not even a 777.

Also, the satellite map image put MH17 50km west of the crash site, oops pic.twitter.com/VxXnzUTUoR — Brown Moses (@Brown_Moses) November 14, 2014

For those looking for this, go to Google Earth, go to 47°57'12.22"N, 37°50'4.09" set historical imagery to 28/08/2012 pic.twitter.com/MTSJeRMvNk — Brown Moses (@Brown_Moses) November 14, 2014

Looks like in this new MH17 satellite "evidence" the position of the Malaysia airlines logo is in the wrong place pic.twitter.com/evNY20AMvA — Brown Moses (@Brown_Moses) November 14, 2014

Others said the photograph had appeared on a Russian forum a month ago.

Australian officials were not prepared to comment on the image because of the ongoing investigation into MH17.

media_camera In the spotlight ... Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Brisbane to take part in the G20 summit. Picture: AFP PHOTO / Peter Parks

The flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was brought down over the eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board including 38 Australian citizens and residents.

A preliminary report by the Dutch Safety Board released in September found a number of “high energy objects” had penetrated the aircraft from the outside causing it to crash.

But the report made no finding as to where the high energy objects came from, or who may have been responsible.

Queensland’s Paul Guard who lost his parents Jill and Roger in the crash, said if the image was proved to be real it could have very grave implications.

“It is exactly why I said yesterday that I think (Prime Minister) Abbott should wait for the findings of the independent investigation to be released before casting blame (on Russia),” said Mr Guard.

“As I’ve said many times, I think the focus should be on getting Russia to pull back from supporting the separatists, and secondarily to cooperate fully with the MH17 investigation.”

Although it is yet to be proven, it is widely believed the Boeing 777 was downed by a surface-to-air missile possibly supplied by the Russian Government to assist pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Mr Abbott has repeatedly accused Russia of direct involvement even vowing to “shirt-front” President Putin over the issue.

The European Union has also indicated further economic sanctions against Russia are imminent if it does not pull forces out of the Ukraine.

Originally published as MH17 images — real or Russian fakes?