@ZeBedie
Quote:
Is there any chance that a Ukrainian military transport would be heading East into Russia, as MH17 was? Is the Ukrainian government on good enough terms with Moscow for that to be possible?
The strategy of Kiev gov was to surround the rebel cities and cut them of from supposed logistical support from Russia. The only way they could supply their troops was by air. See map: blue and yellow (flag of Ukraine) is the area controlled by Kiev gov. Clearly they were fighting the situtation where their yellow area of advancement on the Russian border was facing the danger of being surrounded.
Similarly, the Kiev troops had a reason to activate their SAMs because they made a claim that it is Russian jets that are shooting down their transports, and not rebel SAMs.
Russian jets shoot down Ukrainian warplane over Ukraine: Kiev military
Clearly, both sides had reasons to use SAMs in that mess.
Thanks sadpole. I guess you realise that a 777 at that height would want about 220km or more to descend into an airport, so clearly, it wasn't going to land in the Ukraine. Doesn't this point to an unskilled (Pro Russia separatist) operator, rather than a Russian specialist detached to the separatists?
Visually, it looked civilian, on radar, too high to land in Ukraine and ground speed double that of the An22 they thought they'd hit?