Putin just caused the international community to isolate Russia completely. Well, at least I won’t have to go to Sochi in a couple months. Tootles, pootie-poo.
Raf Sanchez, our Washington correspondent, sends the following update from the US.
Obama is heading to Delaware and to New York today to talk about the American economy but will also be dealing with is looking like a full-blown international crisis.
He ignored questions from reporters about the Malaysian plane as he walked to his helicopter on the South Lawn of the White House this morning.
Here’s what he said last night about Russian activities in Ukraine:
Along with our allies, with whom I’ve been coordinating closely the last several days and weeks, I’ve repeatedly made it clear that Russia must halt the flow of weapons and fighters across the border into Ukraine; that Russia must urge separatists to release their hostages and support a cease-fire; that Russia needs to pursue internationally-mediated talks and agree to meaningful monitors on the border.
******
16.57 More detail on the circumstances of the crash - although it must be stressed that this is only preliminary information.
Interfax-Ukraine quoted another Ukrainian official as saying the plane disappeared from radar when it was flying at 10,000 metres (33,000 feet), a typical cruising altitude for airliners.
It came down at Torez, near Shakhtersk, some 40 km (25 miles) from the Russia border. The area has been the scene of fighting between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels.
16.56 REUTERS - UKRAINE PRIME MINISTER ORDERS INVESTIGATION INTO MALAYSIAN “AIRPLANE CATASTROPHE”, SAYS PLANE WAS EN ROUTE FROM AMSTERDAM
16.54 Witnesses from the town of Torez in the Donetsk Region told RIA Novosti that plane wreckage and dead bodies have been located in the vicinity. The crash took place near the Hrabovo village, outside Torez.
16.53 Interestingly, Russia Today says that the Ukrainian rebels - backed by Russia - have denied any involvement in the plane crash.
Quote The Donetsk People’s Republic, where fighting continues between Kiev and opposition, has rejected any involvement in the incident, as there are reports that the plane was shot down.
It said its self-defense forces just don’t have such military equipment.
Residents have reported about finding debris from a plane, which they say could belong to the Malaysian Boeing. They also said no bodies have been seen, RIA Novosti reports.
16.52 Russia Today has the following report:
Quote The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Anton Geraschenko said the plane carrying 285 passengers and 15 crew members fell.
16.50 Reports suggest that the plane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile called a BUK.
First thought ... Surface to air missile from the Libya/Syria pipeline.
Anton Gerashenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior minister, said on his Facebook page the plane was flying at an altitude of 10,000 metres when it was hit by a missile fired from a Buk launcher. A similar launcher was seen by Associated Press journalists near the eastern Ukrainian town of Snizhne earlier Thursday. The Buk missile system can fire missiles up to an altitude of 22,000 metres.
Malaysia Airlines said on its Twitter feed that it “has lost contact of MH17 from Amsterdam. The last known position was over Ukrainian airspace. More details to follow.”
I dislike Putin as much as the next Freeper. Still, he may also may be the most shrewd politician on the planet right now, as in evidence of continuing to make our POTUS look like the idiot he is. Putin would know an act like shooting down a civilian jumbo jet would be a be huge negative in PR on the world stage. I don't think the Russian government is behind it.
I am more leaning toward this being from an Islamic extremist. this has been their mo before.
A similar launcher was seen by AP journalists near the eastern Ukrainian town of Snizhne earlier Thursday.
BUK, also known as SA-17 GRIZZLY, is a mobile anti-aircraft system mounted usually on a tracked vehicle or truck that can simultaneously track and strike six targets flying from different directions and at different altitudes, according to military thinktank Globalsecurity.org.
It was not immediately clear who would have been in control of such a launcher in the restive area where Ukrainian forces are battling ethnic Russian separatists.
The incident comes one day after a Russian military plane reportedly shot down a Ukrainian jet fighter over Ukrainian territory, forcing the pilot to eject, according to the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council spokesman.
CNN reporter:
Ukranian president says they had no military in the area.
This is the 3rd plane to have been downed in the last 2 days. The other 2 were downed apparently from the Russian side of the border.
==
Shaun Walker @shaunwalker7 · 2m
REUTERS CORRESPONDENT ON THE SCENE IN EASTERN UKRAINE SEES BURNING WRECKAGE OF AIR PLANE, BODIES ON GROUND
Patrick deHahn @patrickdehahn · 6m
Another video of smoke by the crash of the #MH17 plane crash on the Ukraine Russia border https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OWMLYSiz94 …
RT @RT_com · 1m
PHOTO: Eyewitness photo of #MH17 crash site as Malaysian plane falls in #Ukraine http://on.rt.com/qktj3s pic.twitter.com/wwGPHP1tVs
https://twitter.com/search?q=ukraine%20plane&src=tyah
This one not your fault George Bush.
On the night of July 17th, 1996, Flight TWA 800 was en route from New York City to Paris carrying 230 passengers when disaster struck. On the night of July 17th 2014.............
Boeing 777 flight MH17 shot down by an SA-17.
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Terrible. Praying for the families of the 300 victims
So horrible..first MH370 disappears and now this..I dont understand why this plane was allowed to fly in an area that is known for shooting down aircraft
The crazy thing is Malaysia Airlines had about fifteen 777s in its entire fleet. At this rate they’ll all be gone by by 2020.
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The Kremlin said Thursday that President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Malaysian Airliner crash in their phone call, according to Reuters news agency. White House spokesman Josh Earnest had earlier said Obama and Putin talked at Moscow’s request, about new sanctions announced by the U.S. against Russia on Wednesday. But the Kremlin said that, during the call, information from air traffic controllers about the crash became available.