&gt;the rebels did not have surface-to-air missiles with that range.<p>they had it since end of June when Donetsk BUK battery was captured. Using those BUKs during the first half of July before the MH-17 the rebels dawned 2 Ukrainian AN-26 transport planes which were flying at about 7km height, much beyond the reach of MANPADs. The MH-17 was flying much north of the civil corridor and the rebels thought that they got another AN-26.<p>June 29, 2014<p>Russian source <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.vesti.ru&#x2F;doc.html?id=1741703" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.vesti.ru&#x2F;doc.html?id=1741703</a><p>(In English <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;sputniknews.com&#x2F;voiceofrussia&#x2F;news&#x2F;2014_06_29&#x2F;Donetsk-militia-takes-control-of-Ukrainian-anti-air-installation-1561&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;sputniknews.com&#x2F;voiceofrussia&#x2F;news&#x2F;2014_06_29&#x2F;Donetsk...</a>)<p>Pro-Ukranian source <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.unian.net&#x2F;politics&#x2F;934238-boeviki-chastichno-zahvatili-voennuyu-chast-protivovozdushnoy-oboronyi-v-donetske.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.unian.net&#x2F;politics&#x2F;934238-boeviki-chastichno-zahv...</a><p>Somebody&#x27;s personal twitter mentioning capturing of the BUK systems in Donetsk <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;twitter.com&#x2F;lennutrajektoor&#x2F;status&#x2F;483281165479313408" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;twitter.com&#x2F;lennutrajektoor&#x2F;status&#x2F;48328116547931340...</a><p>Read the tweets, people were clearly saying that airlines need to stop flying over Ukraine now.