Pro-Russian rebels in the east of Ukraine reportedly shot down two fighter jets of Kiev's military forces, agencies from the country said.

According to the press service of the so-called "anti-terrorist" operation's headquarters, two Su-25 aircraft were shot near the Savur-Mogila memorial, in the Shakhtarsk region near Russia's border.

The incident with the crashed Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777, at which a missile was allegedly fired on Thursday resulting in the dead of all 298 on board, also happened in the Shakhtarsk region.

The Russian daily Vedomosti argues only one of the planes was shot near the site of Thursday's tragic event, but at the same time quotes representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic as confirming Ukrainian army reports.

No connection between the events has been reported.

However, information initially provided by Ukrainian authorities suggests pro-Russian rebels might have used Russian-made Buk anti-missile systems, the same with which the Boeing 777 was purportedly targeted.