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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| MH17: Ukraine fighter jets shot down close to crash site | MH17: Ukraine fighter jets shot down close to crash site |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Ukraine has accused rebels of shooting down two fighter jets on Wednesday close to where the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed, killing all 298 passengers on board. | Ukraine has accused rebels of shooting down two fighter jets on Wednesday close to where the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed, killing all 298 passengers on board. |
| A spokesman for Ukraine's military operations told Reuters the planes were hit near Savur Mogila, a burial mound in the Shaktersky region where a memorial marks ambushes by the Soviet army on occupying Nazis during World War Two. | A spokesman for Ukraine's military operations told Reuters the planes were hit near Savur Mogila, a burial mound in the Shaktersky region where a memorial marks ambushes by the Soviet army on occupying Nazis during World War Two. |
| But a separate statement from Ukraine's Security Council on Wednesday said preliminary information suggested the missiles had been fired from Russia. Moscow has not responded to the claim. | But a separate statement from Ukraine's Security Council on Wednesday said preliminary information suggested the missiles had been fired from Russia. Moscow has not responded to the claim. |
| "Two of our jets were hit at an altitude of 5,200 metres. According to preliminary information, the missiles were launched from the territory of the Russian Federation," the council said. | "Two of our jets were hit at an altitude of 5,200 metres. According to preliminary information, the missiles were launched from the territory of the Russian Federation," the council said. |
| The military jets were downed just 35 km (20 miles) from the MH17 crash site in the village of Grabovo in eastern Ukraine. | The military jets were downed just 35 km (20 miles) from the MH17 crash site in the village of Grabovo in eastern Ukraine. |
| The fate of the pilots and any crew remains unknown. | |
| The separatist Donetsk People's Republic said in a statement on its website that one of the pilots was killed and another was being sought by rebel fighters. | The separatist Donetsk People's Republic said in a statement on its website that one of the pilots was killed and another was being sought by rebel fighters. |
| Fighting has continued in the Donetsk region between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists after the air disaster. | Fighting has continued in the Donetsk region between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists after the air disaster. |
| Local health officials said hundreds had been killed and over one thousand wounded since hostilities started in eastern Ukraine earlier this year. | Local health officials said hundreds had been killed and over one thousand wounded since hostilities started in eastern Ukraine earlier this year. |
| It comes as the first bodies recovered from the crash site began their long journey into the Netherlands to begin the process of identification. | It comes as the first bodies recovered from the crash site began their long journey into the Netherlands to begin the process of identification. |
| The bodies are being transported to Eindhoven Airport where they will be met by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, the Prime Minister Mark Rutte and relatives at 4pm local time. Dutch government spokesman Lodewijk Hekking said the planes carried 40 coffins in all. | The bodies are being transported to Eindhoven Airport where they will be met by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, the Prime Minister Mark Rutte and relatives at 4pm local time. Dutch government spokesman Lodewijk Hekking said the planes carried 40 coffins in all. |
| The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) confirmed today the black boxes recovered from the crash site have arrived in Britain and handed to investigators. | The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) confirmed today the black boxes recovered from the crash site have arrived in Britain and handed to investigators. |
| The AAIB said the flight recorders have been delivered to their headquarters in Farnborough, Hampshire on Wednesday, where experts will attempt to retrieve crucial data from them. | The AAIB said the flight recorders have been delivered to their headquarters in Farnborough, Hampshire on Wednesday, where experts will attempt to retrieve crucial data from them. |