Interfax said that 295 people were on board at the time.
16.15 Interfax news agency are claiming that a Malaysian passenger plane has crashed in Ukraine, near the Russian border.
"A Boeing Malaysian Airlines that was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur began to descend about 50km before entering Russian airspace, and was subsequently found burning on the ground in Ukraine," an aviation source told Interfax.
16.20 The plane is thought to have crashed near Shaktersk.
16.27 Unconfirmed reports on Twitter showed YouTube footage of a large pall of smoke in fields near Shaktersk.
16.28 Initial reports suggested that the flight could have been Malaysia Airlines MH17, which left Amsterdam at 12.14.
It was due to arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 06.09.
16.34 Interfax are saying that the plane was shot down.
16.35 Interfax news agency reports Malaysian passenger airliner with 295 people on board was shot down at altitude
Last Update - Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser: Malaysian plane was brought down by a ground-to-air missile & all 295 people on board are dead