I will update this over the next few days as I find information that is relevant…
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Malaysian Airlines MH17 plane was traveling almost the same route as Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s jet shortly before the crash that killed 295, Interfax news agency reports citing sources.
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At least seventy-one Dutch nationals were on board, reported RTL. It has also been reported by the media that 23 US nationals could have been on board, as well as four French nationals and “between five and 10 Britons” according to a Whitehall source who spoke to Mail Online.
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The Ukrainian military reportedly deployed a battery of Buk surface-to-air missile systems, capable of bringing down high-flying jets, to the Donetsk region the day before the Malaysian passenger plane crashed in the area.
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Here are the other notable updates in the past hour from Bloomberg:
Putin’s plane may have been target of Ukrainian rocket: Interfax
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plane crossed route of crashed Malaysian plane near Warsaw, Interfax reports, citing unidentified person in Russian aviation service.
Possible that Ukrainian rocket was fired from land or from military plane: Interfax cites source
Plane that crashed was similar in size, color: Interfax
Obama Says U.S. Trying to Determine if U.S. Citizens on Plane
Ukraine Crash Kills 23 U.S. Citizens: Interior Ministry Adviser
Multiple airlines say they’re avoiding airspace in Eastern Ukraine
Lufthansa to avoid E. Ukraine airspace on shot-down plane
KLM avoids flying over concerned territory
Alitalia says all routes over Ukraine, nearby airspace halted
Aeroflot says flights going around Ukraine: RIA Novosti
Air France says it’s stopped flying over E. Ukraine
Turkish Airlines flights to avoid Ukraine airspace: Reuters
Transaero to avoid flying over Ukrainian territory
BA says its flights don’t use E. Ukraine airspace
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Everything about this entire incident screams: TOO CONVENIENT!
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The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, which controls the area around the crash site, says that it will pass the flight recorders of the downed plane to Russian authorities.
“In Moscow, they have high-class experts, and they will be able to determine the cause of the crash, though it seems obvious enough anyway,” said vice-premier Andrey Purgin.
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A Malaysia Airlines plane en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur has crashed in eastern Ukraine. There were 285 people and 15 crew members on board the Boeing-777 aircraft.
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The Netherlands – 189
Malaysia – 44
Australia – 27
Indonesia – 12
UK – 9
Belgium – 4
Germany – 4
The Philippines – 3
Canada – 1
New Zealand – 1
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The OSCE has said 30 of its staff have arrived at the Malaysian Airlines MH17 crash site near Donetsk.
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On Thursday, when a Malaysian Airlines plane was apparently shot down over Ukraine, a Ukrainian Buk anti-aircraft missile battery was operational in the region, the Russian Defense Ministry said, contradicting Kiev’s statements.