Pro-Russia rebels move journalists away from the MH 17 crash site. (Getty)
Ukraine is reporting that two of its military planes were shot down over eastern Ukraine on Wednesday afternoon. The incident occurs just six days after pro-Russian separatists were accused of shooting down a Malaysian passenger plane and killing all 298 people aboard.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. 2 Military Jets Were Downed Near Dmytrivka
The AP reports that around 1:30 p.m. local time, two Sukhoi-25 fight jets taking part in the Ukrainian offensive against Russian-backed separatists were shot down over eastern Ukraine. The planes are believed to have gone down in the Savur Mogila region near the village of Dmytrivka.
Above you can watch a BBC reporter recount how Ukrainian rebels told her to “watch the news tomorrow.”
2. It’s Unknown if the Pilots Survived
It’s unclear if any of the Ukrainians piloting in the Su-25s were killed. The planes each carry one person usually equipped with ejector seats and parachutes.
The New York Times also reports that the downing of the jets is likely to be a heavy hit to the limited Ukrainian Air Force. The war-torn nation also lost a military transport plane during a rebel ground-to-air attack on July 14.
3. The Planes Went Down Only 25 Miles from the MH17 Crash Site
(Getty)
The two planes were shot down only 25 miles from the Malaysia Flight 17 crash site, where investigators are still actively working to recover bodies and find more material that will allow the world to better understand what happened.
#BREAKING: Missiles that shot down two fighter jets fired from Russia: Kiev
— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) July 23, 2014
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials are not asserting that the missiles that shot down the two military jets came from Russia.
4. Both MH17 Black Boxes Have Finally Been Recovered
Pro-Russia separatist shows members of the media a black box belonging to Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. (Getty)
The jets were shot down just after the black boxes from MH17 arrived in England for analysis. Pro-Russian rebels removed the boxes from the crash site late last week and only recently surrendered them to the Dutch.
5. New Evidence Suggests a Russian-Made Missile Hit MH17
(WikiMedia)
The New York Times reports that new evidence suggests that MH 17 was hit by a Russian made SA-11 missile, or a Buk missile, pictured above.
The weapon is more than capable of shooting down a defenseless passenger plane at 33,000 feet, and small holes throughout sections of the plane’s exterior are consistent with this type of missile.
