Russian Jets Prowl Ukraine to Baltic Amid Malaysia Probe

By Daria Marchak, Volodymyr Verbyany and Milda Seputyte Aug 1, 2014 11:55 AM ET

Former Soviet states from Ukraine to the Baltics said they were menaced by jets from neighboring Russia as fighting continued near the site where investigators arrived to probe the downing of Malaysia Air (MAS) Flight MH17.

NATO jets were scrambled from a Lithuanian air base at about 9 a.m. today to “identify” Russian aircraft “flying without a pre-agreed schedule” over neutral waters near Estonia, said Viktorija Cieminyte, a spokeswoman for Lithuania’s Defense Ministry. The Defense Ministry in Kiev said it downed a Russian drone on Ukrainian territory, one of several aircraft to violate its air space since yesterday.

Ukrainian officials said more than 100 experts, mainly from the Netherlands and Australia, finally arrived at the site where MH17 was blown out of the sky more in rebel-held territory more than two weeks ago, killing all 298 people on board. The U.S. and Ukraine say the Boeing Co. (BA) 777 was most likely brought down by a missile fired by pro-Russian insurgents, which both Russia and the rebels deny.

“During the last 24 hours, terrorists fired on the checkpoints and positions of Ukrainian forces in a number of cities and villages,” Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military, told reporters in Kiev. “Part of the shelling came from Russian territory.”

Russian Missiles

Russia is deploying Grad rocket systems and continues to build up artillery positions near the border, according to Lysenko. The Defense Ministry in Moscow declined to comment on any violations of Ukrainian airspace. The Interfax news service cited unidentified officials as saying Russia plans to call up military reservists for training at least through October.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-01/ukraine-says-airspace-breached-as-monitors-at-crash-site.html