Originally Posted by CyberSEO

BUK usually does not kill anybody instantly. The missile flies from above and explodes on the way of the plane (it does not hit it directly). After the explosion the aircraft... continues its flight, and only after about 3 seconds it gets tired into pieces by the air flow. That's how BUK missiles work.

As about MH-17, it doesn't matter who has shot it down by the Ukrainian army supported by NATO or by Ukrainian rebels supported by Russia. In both cases the responsibility is on the Ukraine, because it was a fuckin' war zone. Who in a sane mind will guide a civilian aircraft over it? The missile was launched from the Ukrainian territory and that's officially now.