HRABOVO, Ukraine (AP) — Russian news agencies have quoted witnesses as saying they saw a plane being hit by what they thought was a rocket today over Ukraine.

But both Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russia rebels are denying they fired a missile that brought down a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane with 295 people aboard.

The plane crashed in eastern Ukraine, about 25 miles from the Russian border. An Associated Press journalist counted at least 22 bodies at the wreckage site, which covers a wide area.

The wreckage is in a village that is currently under the control of pro-Russia separatists. It’s seen severe fighting between separatists and government troops in recent days.

Aviation authorities in several countries, including the FAA in the United States, had issued warnings not to fly over parts of Ukraine prior to today’s crash. Within hours, several airlines, including Lufthansa and KLM, released statements today saying they were avoiding parts of Ukrainian airspace.

%@AP Links

197-a-10-(President Barack Obama, in speech at I-495 bridge)-“happened and why”-President Obama says America is sending condolences and offers of aid. (17 Jul 2014)

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183-c-11-(Jim Heintz, AP correspondent)-“by a missile”-AP correspondent Jim Heintz reports the Malaysia Airlines plane went down in a rebel-controlled part of eastern Ukraine. (17 Jul 2014)

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APPHOTO MOSB111: People walk amongst the debris at the crash site of a passenger plane near the village of Grabovo, Ukraine, Thursday, July 17, 2014. Ukraine said a passenger plane carrying 295 people was shot down Thursday as it flew over the country, and both the government and the pro-Russia separatists fighting in the region denied any responsibility for downing the plane. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky) (17 Jul 2014)

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