A civilian passenger jet , Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 , was shot down over Hrabove on 17 July , killing all 298 people on board . DPR-affiliated insurgents blamed the Ukrainian government for the disaster , whereas the government , Netherlands , and Australia blamed Russia and the insurgents . The responsibility for investigation was delegated to the Dutch Safety Board ( DSB ) and the Dutch-led joint investigation team ( JIT ) , who concluded that the airliner was downed by a Buk surface-to-air missile launched from pro-Russian separatist-controlled territory in Ukraine . According to the JIT , the Buk that was used originated from the 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade of the Russian Federation , and had been transported from Russia on the day of the crash , fired from a field in a rebel-controlled area , and the launcher returned to Russia after it was used to shoot down MH17 . On the basis of the JIT 's conclusions , the governments of the Netherlands and Australia hold Russia responsible for the deployment of the Buk installation and are taking steps to hold Russia formally accountable . This disaster followed two similar incidents earlier in the week , when two Ukrainian Air Force planes were shot down . Meanwhile , fighting in Luhansk resulted in the loss of electrical power and water services across the city . Shelling damaged an electrical substation in the district Kamennobrodskiy , causing the power loss . An oil refinery in Lysychansk was also set alight . At least 20 civilians were killed in the shelling of Luhansk , according to a statement by the city administration . The statement said that a barrage of rockets hit " virtually every district " . The shelling forced OSCE monitors to flee from their office in Luhansk , and move to Starobilsk . Government forces went on to capture the south-eastern section of the city . Another 16 people died overnight , and at least 60 were wounded . According to a government report , Luhansk airport was secured by government forces amidst the battle
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
War in Donbass