*Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 shot down over territory held by Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine
*Body parts and wreckage spread over nine-mile area, suggesting plane broke up mid-air
*Whitehall sources say up to ten Britons feared dead, 23 Americans also thought to be on board
*US President Barack Obama calls the crash a 'terrible tragedy', and offers condolences to passengers' families
*Ukrainian interior ministry says plane was shot down by a BUK surface-to-air missile
*President Petro Poroshenko issued robust denial that his forces were involved, and calls crash an 'act of terrorism'
*Pro-Russian rebels also denied shooting down the plane and blamed Ukrainian air force
*Rebel leader says they now intend to call a three-day ceasefire to allow an investigation of the crash
*Journalists in region say they saw a Buk-type launcher in pro-Russian rebel hands yesterday
By DARREN BOYLE and SIMON TOMLINSON and JOHN HALL and LUCY CROSSLEY and MATT CHORLEY
A Malaysian Airlines passenger plane has been shot down on the Russian-Ukraine border in an 'act of terrorism', killing all 295 people on board including a reported five to ten Britons and 23 Americans.
The Boeing 777 aircraft was hit by a sophisticated surface-to-air missile over territory near Donetsk held by pro-Russian rebels who the Ukrainian government says are backed by the Kremlin.
The Ukrainian authorities laid the blame for the attack on the rebels by denying any responsibility for the missile launch, with President Petro Poroshenko called the downing an act of terrorism as he called for an international investigation into the crash.
TV pictures from the scene showed a pall of smoke billowing into the sky near Donetsk, apparently from the stricken flight MH17.
Witnesses say body parts are scattered over a distance of 15km, suggesting the plane broke up in mid-air.
Whitehall sources told MailOnline that between five and ten Britons were feared dead. Interfax news agency reported that 23 U.S. citizens were on board.
Crash site: Rescue workers inspect the wreckage of a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane which was shot down today above Ukraine, killed all 295 people on board
Destruction: The Boeing 777 aircraft was hit by a sophisticated surface-to-air missile over territory near Donetsk held by pro-Russian rebels who the Ukrainian government says are backed by the Kremlin
Laying the blame: The Ukrainian authorities laid the blame for the attack on the rebels by denying any responsibility for the missile launch, with President Petro Poroshenko called the downing an act of terrorism
Burning: Rescue workers walk through the burning wreckage of the plane after it crashed near the town of Shaktarsk in rebel-held east Ukraine
