We did not shoot down plane: Ukraine PM

KIEV — Ukraine’s president says his country’s armed forces did not shoot at any airborne targets, after reports that a Malaysian Airlines plane went down over Ukraine.

President Petro Poroshenko said Thursday (July 17) “we do not exclude that this plane was shot down, and we stress that the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not take action against any airborne targets.”

Poroshenko said “we are sure that those who are guilty in this tragedy will be held responsible.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak says he is launching an “immediate investigation” into reports of a Malaysian jetliner crash.

Malaysia Airlines said it lost contact with Flight 17 over Ukrainian airspace today. It was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Defense Minister Hishamuddin Hussein tweeted that there is no confirmation that the plane was shot down. He said he has instructed the country’s military to check and get confirmation. AP