Why was the downed Malaysia Airlines plane flying over Ukraine, anyway?

Why was the downed Malaysia Airlines plane flying over Ukraine, anyway?
(Image credit: Pool/Getty Images)

On Thursday, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine. But what was it doing there in the first place?

In April, the FAA prohibited U.S. airlines from flying over Crimea because of the conflict in the region. However, the FAA's concerns were related to air traffic control, not military action, USA Today reports — the FAA's yearlong ban is the result of a dispute over airspace between Ukraine and Russia.

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Meghan DeMaria

Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.