Today, at approximately 4:20 p.m. Malaysian Airlines No. 17, which was flying the route from Amsterdam – Kuala – Lumpur, disappeared from radar screens.
In recent days, this is the third tragic accident, after the AN-26 and SU-25 aircrafts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were shot down from the Russian territory. We do not exclude that this aircraft was also shot down, and stress that the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not commit any actions in the air [at the time of the downing].
The President of Ukraine on behalf of the State expresses its deepest and most sincere condolences to the families and relatives of those killed in this terrible tragedy. Every possible search and rescue effort is being made.
The President appealed to the Cabinet in order to quickly create a State commission to investigate the causes of this tragedy. The President proposed to involve the work of experts of the Commission of the ICAO and other international organizations, and representatives of the Netherlands and Malaysia.
We are confident that those responsible for this tragedy will be brought to justice.
