This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/17/malaysian-airlines-plane-buk-missile

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Malaysia Airlines plane may have been shot down by Buk missile Malaysia Airlines plane may have been shot down by Buk missile
(about 4 hours later)
The Malaysia Airlines plane that has crashed in eastern Ukraine may have been shot down by a vehicle-mounted Russian-built Buk missile system, according to western-based defence specialists. The Malaysian Airlines plane may have been shot down by a vehicle-mounted Russian-built Buk missile system, according to western-based defence specialists.
Russian-backed rebel groups or Russian forces based in eastern Ukraine have allegedly been shooting at planes and helicopters with Buk missiles over the last week in an attempt to achieve mastery of air space. Russian-backed rebel groups or Russian forces based in eastern Ukraine are said to have been shooting at planes and helicopters with Buk missiles over the last week in an attempt to achieve mastery of the airspace.
But Russian jets have also been action this week, allegedly responsible for downing a Ukrainian jet. It is easier for jets to accurately target planes but it should also have been easier for a pilot to identify the plane as a commercial one. But Russian fighter planes have also been in action this week, allegedly responsible for downing a Ukrainian jet. It is easier for aircraft to accurately target planes but it should also be easier for a pilot to identify a plane as a commercial airliner.
Shoulder-held MANPAD missiles are popular with guerrilla groups worldwide but the Malaysian Airlines plane would have been flying above 10,000 metres, well beyond their range. The Buk, which the Ukrainian interior minister, Anton Gerashenko, blamed for the attack, has a range of 22,000 metres. Shoulder-held MANPAD missiles are popular with guerrilla groups worldwide but the Malaysian Airlines plane would have been flying above 10,000 metres, well beyond their range. The Buk, which Ukrainian interior minister Anton Gerashenko has blamed for the attack, has a range of up to 25,000 metres.
Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said US secretary of defence, Chuck Hagel, had been briefed on the crash, but Kirby was unable to confirm details of what happened or what the US knew. Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said that the US secretary of defence, Chuck Hagel, had been briefed on the crash, but Kirby was unable to confirm details of what happened or what the US knew. Nato surveillance planes policing the Baltic states were unable to identify the source of the attack.
Nato surveillance planes policing the Baltic states were unable to identify the source of the attack. Igor Sutyagin, a Russian military specialist at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, said he believed that either Russians or Russian-supported groups in eastern Ukraine were responsible. He said they had been shooting at Ukrainian aircraft over the last week.
Igor Sutyagin, a Russian military specialist at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, said that he believed that either Russians or Russian supported groups in eastern Ukraine were responsible. He said they had been shooting at Ukrainian aircraft over the last week. Kalashnikov-carrying Russian sympathisers in Ukraine would not have had the expertise to use the Buk system and would have needed either specialists who had "volunteered" their services from Russia or locally recruited experts. Russia is alleged to have infiltrated special forces into Ukraine in the guise of rebels.
Kalashnikov-carrying Russian sympathisers in Ukraine would not have had the expertise to use the Buk system and would have needed either specialists who had "volunteered" their services from Russia or locally-recruited specialists. Russia is alleged to have infiltrated special forces into Ukraine under the guise of being rebels. Sutyagin, who monitors social media in Ukraine, said a Ukrainian rebel force had been spotted just hours earlier with a Buk system at Torez, a village close to the site where the plane came down.
Sutyagin, who monitors social media in the Ukraine, said a Ukrainian rebel force had been spotted just hours earlier with a Buk at Torez, a village close to the site where the plane came down.
He added that a Ukrainian transport plane had been flying overhead close to the time that the missile was fired at the Malaysia Airlines plane, suggesting that may have been the original target. The transport plane had been trying to relieve a beleaguered Ukraine garrison.He added that a Ukrainian transport plane had been flying overhead close to the time that the missile was fired at the Malaysia Airlines plane, suggesting that may have been the original target. The transport plane had been trying to relieve a beleaguered Ukraine garrison.
The Buk, dubbed "Grizzly" by Nato, was developed by the USSR in the 1970s to shoot down cruise and other missiles. It has since gone through many redesigns and upgrades, and been widely exported. Ukraine forces also use Buk. The Buk missile, codenamed "Grizzly" by Nato, was developed by the USSR in the 1970s to shoot down cruise and other missiles. It has since gone through many redesigns and upgrades, and been widely exported. Ukrainian forces also use it.
Ukrainian forces have been making headway against rebel forces recently and Russia has adopted a strategy of denying them air space, forcing them instead to restrict them to the use of troops on the ground. The Ukrainian government has been making headway against rebel forces recently and Russia has adopted a strategy of denying airspace to its jets, restricting it to the use of troops on the ground.
The Russian government, pro-Russian forces and the Ukrainian government were all shifting the blame for the shooting down of the Malaysia Airlines plane. But most of the recent incidents of planes being shot down have allegedly been the result of fire from either Russia or pro-Russian rebels. In a series of incidents over the last week, a Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-25 jet was shot down by an air-to-air missile on Wednesday evening. Pro-Russian rebels claimed they had downed a second Su-25 the same day; Ukrainian defence force said it had been hit by a ground-launched missile. On Monday, a Ukrainian military transport was hit by a missile supposedly from Russia; the plane was beyond the range of a MANPAD.
In a series of incidents over the last week, a Ukrainian Sukhoi-25 jet was shot down by an air-to-air missile on Wednesday evening. on Thursday, an Associated Press reporter reported seeing a Buk in the east Ukrainian town of Snizhne.
Pro-Russian rebels claimed they had downed a second Sukhoi-25 jet. The Ukrainian defence force said it had been hit by a ground-launched missile. Pro-Russian rebels the Donetsk People's Republic have taken control of a military base with Buk systems. But they are useless without specialist knowledge. Jonathan Eyal, director of the Royal United Services Institute, said it was not a matter of climbing aboard a van and pressing a button. Firing a missile requires knowledge of how to use radar, how to lock on to a target and a host of other steps beyond the average rebel.
On Monday, a Ukrainian military transport plane was hit by a missile allegedly from Russia. The plane was beyond the range of a MANPAD. "If the plane was shot down, it could only have been shot down by a state authority," Eyal said, suggesting either Russia or Ukraine, or by a group in Ukraine helped by Russia. On balance, he said he thought the blame rested with Russia.
An Associated Press reporter on Thursday reported seeing a Buk in the east Ukrainian town of Snizhne. The Buk, he said, "definitely has the range and is mobile and could be fired by Russians or Russian separatists.
Pro-Russian rebels, the Donetsk people's republic, have taken control of a military air based with Buk systems. But they are useless without specialist knowledge. "It amounts to a massive, massive escalation," Eyal said. "The only country that has a persistent policy of trying to prevent Ukrainians controlling airspace is Russia. Russia has taken an interest in shooting down aircraft and forcing Ukraine to use ground troops."The Buk was used by both sides in the Russian-Georgia war in 2008, with Georgia using it to down four Russian aircraft.
Jonathan Eyal, director of the Royal United Services Institute, said it was not a matter of climbing aboard a van and pressing a button. Firing a missile required knowledge of how to use radar, how to lock onto a target and a host of other steps beyond the average Kalashnikov carrying rebel.
"If the plane was shot down, it could only have been shot down by a state authority," Eyal said, adding either Russia or Ukraine, or by a group in Ukraine helped by Russia. On balance, he said he thought the blame rested with Russia.
The Buk, he said, "definitely has the range and is mobile and could be fired by Russians or Russian separatists. It amounts to a massive, massive escalation".
Eyal added: "The only country that has a persistent policy of trying to prevent Ukrainians controlling air space is Russia. Russia has taken an interest in shooting down aircraft and forcing Ukraine to use ground troops."
The Buk was used by both sides in the Russian-Georgia war in 2008, with Georgia using it to down four Russian aircraft.