The collective gasp heard around the world after the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 is a recognition that what just happened is different. Civilian casualties in war zones are, unfortunately, all too common, sometimes outpacing the deaths of combatants. But this wanton act of shooting down a civilian airliner falls under a whole new category of terror.

What is it that has changed? Russia.

Dmitry Lovetsky/ The Associated PressA pro-Russian fighter stands guard Friday at the site of a crashed Malaysia Airlines passenger jet near the village of Hrabove in eastern Ukraine. — Dmitry Lovetsky/ The Associated Press
A pro-Russian fighter stands guard Friday at the site of a crashed Malaysia Airlines passenger jet near the village of Hrabove in eastern Ukraine.

The international community has a name for the type of state that Russia has become under Vladimir Putin’s reign: A state sponsor of terror. (read more)