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.
“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.
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.
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.
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