If we have to fight them, now is the time. From now on, we will get weaker and they will get stronger.

finiousfingers
I read that 7 or 8 prominent AIDS researchers were on the flight going to a Summit, but also had colleagues on the flight and accounted for ~100 of the 300 on it. hmmm, wonder if thats a possible reason?
Thats why we book separate flights and travel separate for most things at work.

Gordon Rayner & Martin Evans, The Telegraph
MH17 made its way over Germany, Poland and Ukraine, reaching its cruising altitude of 33,000 feet and flying straight and level, but at 1.21 p.m. radar contact was suddenly lost.
On the ground, Igor Strelkov – also known as Igor Girkin – the leader of the pro-Russian separatists fighting the Ukrainian government forces for control of eastern Ukraine, used his page on the social networking site Vkontakte to boast that his men had just shot down an aircraft.
 
In a message posted at 2.50 p.m. BST, he wrote: “In the district of Torez an An-26 was just shot down. It crashed somewhere near the Progress mine.
“We warned them not to fly in ‘our skies.’ Here is video confirmation of the latest ‘fallen bird.’ The bird landed outside the residential zone, no peaceful civilians were injured.”

RushXTC

kaninja

Gordon Rayner & Martin Evans, The Telegraph
MH17 made its way over Germany, Poland and Ukraine, reaching its cruising altitude of 33,000 feet and flying straight and level, but at 1.21 p.m. radar contact was suddenly lost.
On the ground, Igor Strelkov – also known as Igor Girkin – the leader of the pro-Russian separatists fighting the Ukrainian government forces for control of eastern Ukraine, used his page on the social networking site Vkontakte to boast that his men had just shot down an aircraft.
 
In a message posted at 2.50 p.m. BST, he wrote: “In the district of Torez an An-26 was just shot down. It crashed somewhere near the Progress mine.
“We warned them not to fly in ‘our skies.’ Here is video confirmation of the latest ‘fallen bird.’ The bird landed outside the residential zone, no peaceful civilians were injured.”

 
Um, that is a big Ooops,Mr. Girkin.
 

So, I'm a bit late in all this, But who are they? Is this an actual Russian Military group, Or is it like the stuff going down in Mexico where it's a group formed of ex-military?

kaninja

Gordon Rayner & Martin Evans, The Telegraph
MH17 made its way over Germany, Poland and Ukraine, reaching its cruising altitude of 33,000 feet and flying straight and level, but at 1.21 p.m. radar contact was suddenly lost.
On the ground, Igor Strelkov – also known as Igor Girkin – the leader of the pro-Russian separatists fighting the Ukrainian government forces for control of eastern Ukraine, used his page on the social networking site Vkontakte to boast that his men had just shot down an aircraft.
 
In a message posted at 2.50 p.m. BST, he wrote: “In the district of Torez an An-26 was just shot down. It crashed somewhere near the Progress mine.
“We warned them not to fly in ‘our skies.’ Here is video confirmation of the latest ‘fallen bird.’ The bird landed outside the residential zone, no peaceful civilians were injured.”

 
Um, that is a big Ooops,Mr. Girkin.
 

 
I think this leaves little doubt as to who did this.  They also used the BUK missile system.  The rebels had boasted that they captured some BUK Missile systems when they overran some Ukrainian positions at the end of June and even posted a Twitter picture.....that was deleted yesterday....go figure.