Over the past months Ukraine was overwhelmed by the events caused by terrorists and Russian military aggression in the East of our country. But the tragedy which took place in the Ukrainian skies yesterday is horrendous.      

According to the General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces, the airplane was shot down by the Russian Buk missile system as the liner was flying at an altitude of 10,000 meters.

We would like to underline that Ukraine has no long-range air defence missile systems in this area.

The plane was shot down, because the Russian air defence systems was affording protection to Russian mercenaries and terrorists in this area.

Ukraine will present the evidence of Russian military involvement into the Boeing crash. The plane was shot down intentionally by pro-russian terrorists using Russian weapons.

The leader of the terrorists Igor Girkin (Strelkov) immediately commented on the airplane catastrophy, believing that it was the Ukrainian jet that crashed down. “In Torez An-26 was shot down, its remnants are lying somewhere near the coal mine “Progress”. We have warned everyone: do not fly in our skies.”

In the past couple of days it is the third tragic incident, following two Ukrainian military planes which were shot down almost at the same altitude.

A special investigation commission will join efforts with the experts of the International Civil Aviation Organization and representatives from the Netherlands, Malaysia and the United States. 

Every possible search will be made. We will do everything possible for the objective international investigation.

It is very unfortunate that the terrorists have already declared their desire to transport the aircraft's black boxes to Moscow.

Yesterday’s tragedy proves again that terrorism is not a local, but a global issue. Russia's aggression against Ukraine is not only our problem, but a threat to the European and global security. Addressing this threat requires a unified global response.

Today it is evident that terrorists in the East of Ukraine are not acting alone. Russia increases its military aggression against Ukraine every day. Our territory is being fired on from across the border. Our planes are being shot down. Russia supplies military personnel and state of the art weapons. The hybrid war is showing all signs of an external aggression.

Today, the whole world had seen the real face of the aggressor.

Shooting down a civilian aircraft is an act of international terrorism that  targets the entire world.

This is a wake-up call for the whole world. 

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