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Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down and crashed over Donetsk in east Ukraine near the Russian border killing people 295 on board.

Flight MH17, a Boeing 777-200, was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it lost contact with air traffic control over Ukrainian airspace at around 4:20 p.m. Ukraine time.

According to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, all 280 passengers and 15 crew of MH17 were killed.

The ministry also said that MH17 was shot down by separatist rebels. Ukrainian government also denied responsibility in shooting down the plane citing that Ukrainian Armed Forces did not conduct any air defense operation during the time MH17 was downed. Ukrainian President ordered the creation of a state commission to investigate the incident.

The eastern part of Ukraine is currently engulfed in an armed insurgency. Ukrainian security forces are fighting pro-Russia separatists believed to be supported by the Russian state. The Diplomat reported that separatists may have access to Russian arms and munitions and that a Russian ground to air missile was probably used in shooting down MH17.