KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — Insurgents might have shot down Malaysia Airlines (MAS) jetliner MH17 thinking it was the plane of Russian president Vladimir Putin, a source told Ukrainian state news agency Interfax today.
The anonymous source said MH17 was using a similar route to Putin’s jet when it was allegedly shot down by the rebels.
“I can say that Putin’s plane and the Malaysian Boeing intersected at the same point and the same echelon. That was close to Warsaw on 330-m echelon at the height of 10,100 meters. The presidential jet was there at 16:21 Moscow time and the Malaysian aircraft - 15:44 Moscow time,” said the source.
“The contours of the aircrafts are similar, linear dimensions are also very similar, as for the coloring, at a quite remote distance they are almost identical.”
A woman prays during a special prayer held for the victims of downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Kuala Lumpur July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
Members of the United Nations Security Council observe a moment of silence for the victims of Flight MH17 at the United Nations headquarters in New York July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
A woman lights candles at a memorial for victims of the downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Kuala Lumpur July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
A bouquet of flowers is placed on a Malaysia Airlines counter at Schiphol Airport July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
The Malaysian national flag flies at half-staff at the Malaysian embassy in The Hague July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
Flowers are placed outside the departure hall, in the wake of the downed Flight MH17, at Schiphol Airport July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
A boy places flowers outside the Dutch embassy in Moscow July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
Flowers lie on debris from the MH17 plane near the village of Rozsypne, in the Donetsk region July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
Debris from the MH17 plane lies on the ground near the village of Rozsypne in the Donetsk region July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
A member of the Ukrainian Emergency Ministry searches for bodies close to the site of the MH17 crash near the settlement of Grabovo, in the Donetsk region July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
Luggage and belongings are seen near the site of the MH17 crash, near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
Malaysian Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai speaks during a news conference at a hotel in Sepang July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
Debris is seen at the site of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash near the settlement of Grabovo, in the Donetsk region July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
A member of the Ukrainian Emergency Ministry walks past a white flag marking the location of a body near the settlement of Grabovo, in the Donetsk region July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
Families of passengers on board flight MH17 gather at a hotel in Putrajaya July 18, 2014.
Datin Siti Dina is seen crying after learning that her daughter, Sherliza Zaini, was on the plane with her husband and their three children. ― Picture by Choo Choy May
Family members of passengers on board MH17 are seen here on the airport buggy at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), July 18, 2014. ― Picture by Choo Choy May
Relatives of passengers onboard the downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang July 18, 2014. ― Reuters pic
People leave candles and flowers at the Dutch embassy for victims of Malaysia Airlines MH17, which crashed in eastern Ukraine, in Kiev July 17, 2014. ― Reuters pic
People light candles at the Malaysian embassy for victims of Malaysia Airlines MH17, which crashed in eastern Ukraine, in Kiev July 17, 2014. ― Reuters pic
One of the family members collapse after looking at the manifest at Anjung Tinjau, Kuala Lumpur International Airport. — Photo by Choo Choo May
A woman holds a sign that reads, 'Putin is a terrorist', as people bring flowers and candles to the Dutch embassy to commemorate the victims of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash, in Kiev, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 is seen at the G3 gate of Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, before it took off, heading to Kuala Lumpur, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
Smoke rises above the site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
Family members of MH17 looking through the name list at the reception centre at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. — Photo by Choo Choo May
Armed pro-Russian separatists stand at the site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
People, who said they believed they had relatives on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, wait for more information about the crashed plane at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
A woman (front), who said she believed her sister was on Malaysia Airlines flight MH-17, cries as she waits for more information about the crashed plane, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
A screen showing arrival details of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 (4th from top) is seen at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
The upper floor of Schiphol Airport is closed for media and reserved for family and relatives of Malaysia Airlines flight MH-17, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
Armed pro-Russian separatists stand at the site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
Smoke rises from the site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
The wreckage of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane (back) is seen, with sunflowers in the foreground, near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
A “no entry” sign stands at the entrance to a Malaysia Airlines check-in counter at Kuala Lumpur International Airport July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
People take photos of a screen showing arrival details of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 (centre) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
The site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash is seen near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
Family members wait for news outside Anjung Tinjau following the tragic news of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH1 at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, July 18, 2014. — Picture by Choo Choi May
Family members inquire about the flight name list following the tragic news of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH1 at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, July 18, 2014. — Picture by Choo Choi May
A part of the wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines MH17 plane is seen after it crashed near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
The site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash is seen near the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
A man stands in front of a display showing plane locations around Malaysia at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
A man walks past the Malaysia Airlines check-in area at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang July 18, 2014. — Reuters pic
Emergencies Ministry members walk at the site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash in the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
An armed pro-Russian separatist stands at a site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash in the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
The site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash is seen in the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
The site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash is seen in the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
Emergencies Ministry members work at the site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash in the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
An Emergencies Ministry member works at the site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash in Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
A general view shows the site of a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane crash in the settlement of Grabovo in the Donetsk region, July 17, 2014. — Reuters pic
The Boeing 777 Malaysian Airlines aircraft with the registration number 9M-MRD lands early morning in Vienna in this July 14, 2005 file photo. — Reuters pic
The report said that Putin was on his way back to Moscow from a BRICS conference in Brazil.
This comes as a social media site attributed to a top Ukrainian rebel commander said the insurgents had shot down an army transporter at the same location as the MH17 crash.
The comments by the top military commander of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” suggest the separatists had shot down the MAS plane by mistake, believing it was a large Ukrainian army transport plane.
MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian militants yesterday, killing all 295 people aboard, a Ukrainian interior ministry official said.
MAS said air traffic controllers lost contact with MH17 as it flew over eastern Ukraine towards the Russian border, bound for Asia with 280 passengers and 15 crew aboard.
Flight tracking data indicated it was at its cruising altitude of 10 km when it disappeared.