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| Missile destroys Malaysia Airlines plane over Ukraine and kills 295 people | Missile destroys Malaysia Airlines plane over Ukraine and kills 295 people |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The president of Ukraine has accused pro-Russia rebels in the east of the country of shooting down a Malaysia Airlines jet, killing all 280 passengers and 15 crew. | |
| The huge loss of life threatens to have wide-ranging and unpredictable consequences, coming just after the US imposed further sanctions on Russia for continuing to provide weapons to the rebels. | The huge loss of life threatens to have wide-ranging and unpredictable consequences, coming just after the US imposed further sanctions on Russia for continuing to provide weapons to the rebels. |
| The plane, which was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, came down near the village of Grabovo, part of the area controlled by pro-Russian separatists. | The plane, which was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, came down near the village of Grabovo, part of the area controlled by pro-Russian separatists. |
| The aircraft was flying just 1,000 feet above restricted airspace when it was shot down, according to the European air traffic control body. Eurocontrol said Ukrainian authorities had barred aircraft up to 32,000 feet but the doomed aircraft was cruising at 33,000 feet, still within range of sophisticated ground-to-air weaponry, when it was hit. All flights in eastern Ukraine have now been barred from the area. | The aircraft was flying just 1,000 feet above restricted airspace when it was shot down, according to the European air traffic control body. Eurocontrol said Ukrainian authorities had barred aircraft up to 32,000 feet but the doomed aircraft was cruising at 33,000 feet, still within range of sophisticated ground-to-air weaponry, when it was hit. All flights in eastern Ukraine have now been barred from the area. |
| The field next to the tiny hamlet was a scene of charred earth and twisted metal as shocked local people milled around the scene. Body parts belonging to the 280 passengers on board were strewn around. The body of what appeared to be a young woman was flung about 500 metres from the centre of the crash, while a dismembered foot could be seen on the one road leading through the village. | The field next to the tiny hamlet was a scene of charred earth and twisted metal as shocked local people milled around the scene. Body parts belonging to the 280 passengers on board were strewn around. The body of what appeared to be a young woman was flung about 500 metres from the centre of the crash, while a dismembered foot could be seen on the one road leading through the village. |
| The Ukrainian government accused the rebels of downing the jet. "This was not an 'incident', this was not a 'catastrophe', this was a terrorist act," said the president, Petro Poroshenko. | |
| MH17 "was shot down" and there "may have been American citizens on board", US vice-president Joe Biden said in a speech in Detroit. | |
| Senior US officials have told the Wall Street Journal and CNN, as well as other American news outlets, that they have confirmed a surface-to-air missile brought down the plane. | |
| US intelligence is reportedly still working to determine the exact location from which the missile was fired, and whether it was on the Russian or the Ukrainian side of the border. | |
| Rebels in the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics have shot down a number of Ukrainian planes and helicopters in recent weeks. However, they insisted they had no part in the downing of the Malaysian jet, saying Ukrainian fire was responsible. | |
| In a conflict that has not been short of unexpected twists, this was by far the most shocking and most gruesome to date. The 295 people aboard MH17 had no connection to the conflict in eastern Ukraine save that their intercontinental flight was travelling through airspace above the battle zone. | In a conflict that has not been short of unexpected twists, this was by far the most shocking and most gruesome to date. The 295 people aboard MH17 had no connection to the conflict in eastern Ukraine save that their intercontinental flight was travelling through airspace above the battle zone. |
| Throughout the conflict the versions of violent incidents provided by Kiev and the Donetsk rebels have diverged wildly, with each side blaming the other for loss of life and the shelling of residential areas, and the truth often lost in a murky information battle. | Throughout the conflict the versions of violent incidents provided by Kiev and the Donetsk rebels have diverged wildly, with each side blaming the other for loss of life and the shelling of residential areas, and the truth often lost in a murky information battle. |
| Now, with such a huge and unexpected loss of life, the stakes are immeasurably higher, and both sides again rushed to claim the other was at fault. | Now, with such a huge and unexpected loss of life, the stakes are immeasurably higher, and both sides again rushed to claim the other was at fault. |
| Those blaming pro-Russia rebels for the attack pointed to a post on a social media site attributed to a top rebel commander which claimed to have downed a Ukrainian transport plane around the same time as the first reports of MH17's disappearance surfaced. The post was later deleted. | Those blaming pro-Russia rebels for the attack pointed to a post on a social media site attributed to a top rebel commander which claimed to have downed a Ukrainian transport plane around the same time as the first reports of MH17's disappearance surfaced. The post was later deleted. |
| The US and EU have blamed Russia for providing the separatists in eastern Ukraine with logistical and military support, leading to a new set of White House sanctions against Russian companies, introduced on Wednesday, as rhetoric coming out of both Washington and Moscow has led to talk of a new cold war. | The US and EU have blamed Russia for providing the separatists in eastern Ukraine with logistical and military support, leading to a new set of White House sanctions against Russian companies, introduced on Wednesday, as rhetoric coming out of both Washington and Moscow has led to talk of a new cold war. |
| Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Guardian that any allegations of Russian involvement in the tragedy were "stupidity". Peskov said the Kremlin would not make a further statement on the tragedy because "no one knows" who is responsible. Asked about the possibility of further US sanctions in light of this bloody development in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Peskov said he could not rule it out: "The United States has recently been conducting a very non-constructive policy, and their actions are very unpredictable," he said. | Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Guardian that any allegations of Russian involvement in the tragedy were "stupidity". Peskov said the Kremlin would not make a further statement on the tragedy because "no one knows" who is responsible. Asked about the possibility of further US sanctions in light of this bloody development in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Peskov said he could not rule it out: "The United States has recently been conducting a very non-constructive policy, and their actions are very unpredictable," he said. |
| Putin himself, who has been attending a summit of the Brics nations in Brazil, apparently informed Barack Obama about the incident. "The Russian leader informed the US president of the report from air traffic controllers that the Malaysian plane had crashed on Ukrainian territory, which had arrived immediately before the phone call," said a statement released by the Kremlin. | Putin himself, who has been attending a summit of the Brics nations in Brazil, apparently informed Barack Obama about the incident. "The Russian leader informed the US president of the report from air traffic controllers that the Malaysian plane had crashed on Ukrainian territory, which had arrived immediately before the phone call," said a statement released by the Kremlin. |
| According to the statement, the pair spent most of the conversation discussing the deterioration of US-Russian relations, and Putin expressed his "serious disappointment" over the latest round of US sanctions against Russian companies. | According to the statement, the pair spent most of the conversation discussing the deterioration of US-Russian relations, and Putin expressed his "serious disappointment" over the latest round of US sanctions against Russian companies. |
| Obama said the downing of the plane looked like "a terrible tragedy", and US authorities were working to determine whether American citizens were on board. | Obama said the downing of the plane looked like "a terrible tragedy", and US authorities were working to determine whether American citizens were on board. |
| David Cameron tweeted: "I'm shocked and saddened by the Malaysian air disaster. Officials from across Whitehall are meeting to establish the facts." | David Cameron tweeted: "I'm shocked and saddened by the Malaysian air disaster. Officials from across Whitehall are meeting to establish the facts." |
| Putin later spoke by phone to the Malaysian prime minister, Najib Razak, to express his "most sincere condolences" to the families of the dead. | Putin later spoke by phone to the Malaysian prime minister, Najib Razak, to express his "most sincere condolences" to the families of the dead. |
| The crash came four months after a Malaysia Airlines flight, MH370, vanished on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board, two-thirds of them Chinese citizens. It has yet to be found despite a huge search. | The crash came four months after a Malaysia Airlines flight, MH370, vanished on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board, two-thirds of them Chinese citizens. It has yet to be found despite a huge search. |
| The first rumours of improbable tragedy came as video appeared from villages nearby showing huge plumes of smoke rising into the air, and aviation sources told a local wire agency that a plane had been downed. | The first rumours of improbable tragedy came as video appeared from villages nearby showing huge plumes of smoke rising into the air, and aviation sources told a local wire agency that a plane had been downed. |
| The first official confirmation came when Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister, wrote on his Facebook page that the plane had indeed crashed in Ukrainian territory, claiming it had been hit by a missile fired from a Buk launcher. | The first official confirmation came when Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister, wrote on his Facebook page that the plane had indeed crashed in Ukrainian territory, claiming it had been hit by a missile fired from a Buk launcher. |
| Malaysia Airlines soon confirmed the worst fears, noting via its Twitter feed: "Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace." | Malaysia Airlines soon confirmed the worst fears, noting via its Twitter feed: "Malaysia Airlines has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace." |
| Questions will be asked about why the jet was flying over an area where Ukrainian jets have been shot down in recent days. MH17 was cruising at around 33,000 feet, above a no-fly zone of 32,000 feet, but nevertheless the area was subject to a warning notice suggesting that the area was potentially dangerous. A number of airlines said they would avoid east Ukrainian airspace entirely in the wake of the tragedy. | Questions will be asked about why the jet was flying over an area where Ukrainian jets have been shot down in recent days. MH17 was cruising at around 33,000 feet, above a no-fly zone of 32,000 feet, but nevertheless the area was subject to a warning notice suggesting that the area was potentially dangerous. A number of airlines said they would avoid east Ukrainian airspace entirely in the wake of the tragedy. |
| Igor Sutyagin, a Russian military specialist at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, agreed that the plane would almost certainly have been hit from a Buk, a vehicle-mounted missile system first developed in the Soviet era. The Malaysian aircraft, flying at more than 10,000 metres, was beyond the range of MANPAD, shoulder-launched missiles. Kalashnikov-carrying Russian sympathisers in Ukraine would not have had the expertise to fire them and would have needed either specialists who had "volunteered" their services from Russia or locally-recruited specialists, he said, but noted that the rebels had been firing at Ukrainian aircraft over the last week. | Igor Sutyagin, a Russian military specialist at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, agreed that the plane would almost certainly have been hit from a Buk, a vehicle-mounted missile system first developed in the Soviet era. The Malaysian aircraft, flying at more than 10,000 metres, was beyond the range of MANPAD, shoulder-launched missiles. Kalashnikov-carrying Russian sympathisers in Ukraine would not have had the expertise to fire them and would have needed either specialists who had "volunteered" their services from Russia or locally-recruited specialists, he said, but noted that the rebels had been firing at Ukrainian aircraft over the last week. |
| The Associated Press said one of its journalists had seen a similar launcher near the town of Snizhne earlier on Thursday. | The Associated Press said one of its journalists had seen a similar launcher near the town of Snizhne earlier on Thursday. |
| Russia's state-owned Channel One avoided speculation of who might have been behind the plane crash in its first bulletins on the subject, while the Kremlin-friendly Life News, whose reporters were first on the scene, said it was likely to have been brought down by Ukrainian fire, claiming that the rebels did not have any missile systems with the capacity to down a plane travelling at that altitude. | Russia's state-owned Channel One avoided speculation of who might have been behind the plane crash in its first bulletins on the subject, while the Kremlin-friendly Life News, whose reporters were first on the scene, said it was likely to have been brought down by Ukrainian fire, claiming that the rebels did not have any missile systems with the capacity to down a plane travelling at that altitude. |
| However, a report on the website of Russian state television from late June described how the rebels in Donetsk had taken control of of a Ukrainian missile defence facility which was equipped with Buk systems. The report said that the rebels planned to "defend the sky over Donetsk" using the missile system. | However, a report on the website of Russian state television from late June described how the rebels in Donetsk had taken control of of a Ukrainian missile defence facility which was equipped with Buk systems. The report said that the rebels planned to "defend the sky over Donetsk" using the missile system. |
| On Thursday afternoon, a social media site attributed to Igor Strelkov, a Russian citizen who has emerged as the commander of rebel forces in Donetsk, announced that the rebels had shot down an An-26 Ukrainian transport plane, and also that there was "information about a second plane". The post was later removed. | On Thursday afternoon, a social media site attributed to Igor Strelkov, a Russian citizen who has emerged as the commander of rebel forces in Donetsk, announced that the rebels had shot down an An-26 Ukrainian transport plane, and also that there was "information about a second plane". The post was later removed. |
| Additional reporting by Tania Branigan in Beijing, Ewen MacAskill in London and Paul Lewis in Washington. | Additional reporting by Tania Branigan in Beijing, Ewen MacAskill in London and Paul Lewis in Washington. |