The pro-Russian rebels just announced via Russian news agencies that they shot down what they believed to be a Ukrainian transport plane in the at the same time and place where the Malaysian plane was downed:
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| DONETSK, July 17. /ITAR-TASS/. Militiamen of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) brought down a military transport Antonov-26 (An-26) plane of the Ukrainian Air Force on the outskirts of the town of Torez, eyewitnesses said. A missile hit the An-26, it fell on the ground and caught blaze, they said.
On July 14, militiamen of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic downed another An-26 of the Ukrainian Air Force. | |
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http://en.itar-tass.com/world/741164
Two weeks ago the rebels announced they had sophisticated anti-aircraft weaponry, the BUK, which can easily reach 10,000 meters (ie: crusing altitude of commercial flights):
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| The self-defense forces of Donetsk People’s Republic seized control of a Ukrainian anti-air military installation, RIA Novosti reports.
"The forces of Donetsk People’s Republic assumed control of A-1402 military base," the militia's representative said. According to him, it is an anti-aircraft missile forces facility equipped with Buk mobile surface-to-air missile systems.
During the last several days the militia took control of two internal security troops' installations in eastern Ukraine.
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_0...allation-1561/ | |
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Earlier this week, a Ukrainian transport plane flying at 6,000 meters was shot down:
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| A Ukrainian military transport aircraft has been shot down in the east, amid fighting with pro-Russian separatist rebels, Ukrainian officials say.
They say the An-26 plane was hit at an altitude of 6,500m (21,325ft).
The plane was targeted with "a more powerful missile" than a shoulder-carried missile, "probably fired" from Russia. The crew survived, reports say.
Russia has made no comment. Separately, Nato reported a Russian troop build-up near the Ukraine border. | |
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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28299334