Since news broke that Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 went down in eastern Ukraine, a flood of information has poured out from news outlets, on-the-ground correspondents, aviation professionals, and policy experts. News articles are extremely helpful in understanding the complexities of the situation, but quality coverage can also come from Twitter — if you know who to follow.
These Twitter accounts are great for following the unfolding story, getting the facts, learning what matters, and experiencing the perspective from those at the scene.
On the ground in Ukraine
1) Noah Sneider
Journalist providing personal, firsthand accounts of the situation
Morning at #mh17 crash site. Roosters crowing, orange sun glowing. ground littered w human skeletons and plane fragments... #ukraine
— Noah Sneider (@NoahSneider) July 18, 2014
2) David M. Herszenhorn
Moscow-based New York Times reporter on top of official news coming out of Ukraine
awful task ahead: special laboratory will be brought to #Kharkiv #Ukraine "to identify bodies and remnants of the bodies" from jet downing
— David M. Herszenhorn (@herszenhorn) July 18, 2014
3) Kevin Bishop
BBC News foreign field producer tweeting live updates from the crash site
Armed Donetsk Peoples Republic soldiers very much in charge here. Ordering journalists around, suspicious, offering their view of events.
— Kevin Bishop (@bishopk) July 18, 2014
4) Max Seddon
Sharp-eyed BuzzFeed correspondent
LifeNews' logistical bends to blame the crash on Ukraine would be hilariously awkward, were they not showing corpses strewn everywhere. Ugh.
— max seddon (@maxseddon) July 17, 2014
5) Christopher Miller
Editor of the excellent Kiev Post
Anton Heraschenko, adviser to #Ukraine interior minister, says Buk rocket system used to down #MH17 was smuggled to #Russia last night.
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) July 18, 2014
6) Ukrainian Updates
High-volume feed run by Ukraine activists who helped oust government in February
"Many of the bodies not 'fresh,' the ppl had died a few days ago," #Russian warlord #Girkin says. #OMG #Ukraine #MH17 pic.twitter.com/PwcsCdlYIi
— Ukrainian Updates (@Ukroblogger) July 18, 2014
7) Christian Vermont
Holland-based reporter now living in Ukraine, often tweets photos and videos
Now at the #Dutch embassy in #Kiev. Ukrainians showing their support. Thank you. #mh17 #ukraine pic.twitter.com/r5RfteE0So
— Christian Vermont (@FollowChris) July 17, 2014
Ukraine, Russia, and foreign policy watchers
8) Julia Ioffe
A journalist who is one of, if not the, best on Russia
Muscovites leaving flowers and candles by the Dutch embassy in #Moscow. One note says "Forgive us." pic.twitter.com/trSbJmq10y
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) July 18, 2014
9) Anne Applebaum
Pulitzer-winning author and columnist
"we warned them, don't fly in 'our sky'" separatists boasted, before realizing they had hit #MH17, not AN-26 http://t.co/hN8NIEWDbb
— Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum) July 18, 2014
10) Miriam Elder
BuzzFeed editor and former Moscow correspondent
What a picture. Alexander Borodai, head of the Donetsk People's Republic, arrives at crash site pic.twitter.com/hyeIixAlKU via @AFP
— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) July 18, 2014
11) Adam Taylor
Washington Post blogger and former Soviet world specialist
.@MarkGaleotti: "I suspect that when the histories are written, this will be deemed the day the insurgency lost." http://t.co/OKZBubTKQq
— Adam Taylor (@mradamtaylor) July 17, 2014
12) Hannah Thoburn
Brookings analyst on Russia and eastern Europe
The separatists were really benefiting from having int'l attention elsewhere. Now, they've turned the whole world against them.
— Hannah Thoburn (@HannahThoburn) July 17, 2014
13) Mark Adomanis
Independently minded analyst
Ukraine just went from a foreign policy crisis to a total freaking disaster. Next week or two will be enormously dangerous
— Mark Adomanis (@MarkAdomanis) July 17, 2014
14) Michael McFaul
Former US ambassador to Russia, now a bit freer to speak his mind
Volunteer militia do not have the training to shoot sophisticated antiaircraft weapons
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) July 17, 2014
15) Alexander Kliment
Eurasia Group analyst
The great @MarkGaleotti lays out his reasoning for why it was *probably* a separatist-fired SAM that took down plane http://t.co/r6SrJCbI45
— Alexander (@SaoSasha) July 17, 2014
16) Peter Baker
New York Times White House correspondent
While not directly blaming Russia, Obama is connecting the dots, making clear it is culpable in his view.
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) July 18, 2014
17) Kevin Rothrock
Sharp-tongued Russia analyst
In which @abunin challenges the theory that Ukrainian rebels were able to operate a Buk missile system. #FlightMH17 pic.twitter.com/7npSe9Wvjd
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) July 18, 2014
Aviation
18) Malaysia Airlines
Official account of Malaysia Airlines: Low-volume, but sends official updates as soon as they're available
[#MASalert] MH17’s flight plan was approved by Eurocontrol, who are responsible for determining flight paths. http://t.co/HUIWQXl7dx
— Malaysia Airlines (@MAS) July 18, 2014
19) Aviation Safety
Service of the Flight Safety Foundation, tweets technical info about airline accidents
IATA on #MH17: "Based on the information currently available...airspace the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions."
— AviationSafety (@AviationSafety) July 17, 2014
Live from other areas: Netherlands, Malaysia
20) Patrick Fok
Producer reporting updates from Amsterdam
Scene outside Schiphol at 11am Friday morning. International news stations line the drop off area at depart. term. 3 pic.twitter.com/FymKLDW962
— Patrick Fok (@PaddyFok) July 18, 2014
21) Sumisha Naidu
Channel NewsAsia reporter, live updates from Malaysia
Malaysian PM @NajibRazak declares national period of mourning until Monday, July 22 #MH17
— Sumisha Naidu (@sumishanaidu) July 18, 2014
22) Andrew Stevens
CNN journalist, covering local reactions from MH17 captain's hometown in Malaysia
Friday night prayers at local mosque of #MH17 Captain Wan Amran. Special prayers read at end of service pic.twitter.com/hFdmNtzUQe
— Andrew Stevens (@andrewcnn) July 18, 2014
23) Thomas Erdbrink
New York Times bureau chief providing Malaysia Airlines info from Amsterdam
Relatives of MH17 victims are gathering at a bar at Amsterdam airport, tour operators estimate around 50 Dutch and 23 Americans on plane
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) July 17, 2014
