[Video] The Russian soldier whose selfie obsession could prove Putin is operating in Ukraine

A selfie obsessed Russian soldier whose pictures show him operating a similar missile launcher to the one that shot down Flight MH17 seem to have revealed that he was inside Ukraine.

Alexander Sotkin, who describes himself as a communications specialist on social media has been posting selfies to his Instagram page, showing him operating military equipment, including a BUK missile launcher.

Each time that a picture is posted to Instagram, the location of where it was uploaded can be found.

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This picture was uploaded by Sotkin on July 3 and appears to show him inside an armoured personnel carrier

And according to several of his pictures, it shows some of his selfies were posted inside Ukraine, in the village of Krasnyi Derkul, nine miles from the Russian base of Voloshino, earlier this month.

A picture on July 3, which appears to have been uploaded in Russia, shows Sotkin working in what appears to be an armoured personnel carrier.

However, two days later, he posted another picture, which claims to be from inside the village of Krasnyi Derkul in Ukraine.

A following post on July 7 then seems to reveal he is back over the border in Russia. 

                                               

The photo map, from Sotkin's Instagram account, which appears to show two pictures, which were uploaded in Ukraine

According to the soldier's Instagram photo map, this picture was posted inside the Ukrainian border

The village is in rebel-held territory in the east of Ukraine, although it is not entirely clear what the 24-year-old was doing there or for how long. 

There is no link to Sotkin and the attack on the Malaysia Airlines flight, which came down in the east of Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.

However, both Ukraine and U.S. officials say that a BUK missile launcher, which the soldier in one picture claims to be working on, was used to bring down the flight.

Ukraine has also accused Russia of firing surface-to-air missiles across the border and just last week, two of their fighter jets were brought down.

In this post, Sotkin says he is 'sitting around, working on a buk, listening to music. He signs off saying 'basically a good Sunday'

The 24-year-old Russian soldier describes himself as a communications specialist on social media

Today the Ukrainian military has announced that there will be a day-long pause to its brutal offensive to oust pro-Russian rebels in the east of the country.

The announcement follows a plea from the UN for a truce to allow a stalled probe into the downing of the passenger jet to go ahead.

Military spokesman Olekisy Dmytrashkivsky said that the move was in response to an appeal by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, adding: 'We have taken a decision not to conduct military operations on this so-called "day of quiet."'