Russia denies it shot down a Ukrainian warplane: agency

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Defense Ministry denied on Thursday it had shot down a Ukrainian airplane and called the accusation by Kiev "absurd", Russian state news agency RIA reported. "It is absurd, just like all the previous accusations from Kiev's leadership against Russia's Defense Ministry," a ministry spokesman was quoted as saying. (Reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel, writing by Thomas Grove, editing by John Stonestreet)