Representatives of the United Nations are unable to verify information about the circumstances surrounding the crash of a Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft, which occurred on 24 January near Belgorod, Russia.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that it is necessary to establish all the facts and conduct an investigation into the downing of the Russian Il-76 aircraft on 24 January. Source: Zelenskyy's video address Details: The President said that Defense Minister Rustem Umierov, Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Chief of the Defence Intelligence Service Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk, and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forc
Russian media have been using the Il-76 crash to sow internal dissatisfaction in Ukraine and undermine the West's willingness to continue providing military support to Ukraine. Source: the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Details: The ISW cited Andrey Kartapolov, Head of the Defence Committee of Russia's State Duma (the lower chamber of the Russian parliament), who claimed that Ukraine intentionally shot down the Il-76, knowing that Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) were on board.
The Security Service of Ukraine has opened a criminal investigation into the recent downing of a Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft in Russia's Belgorod Oblast. Source: Press service of the Security Service of Ukraine in a comment for the media.
Ukraine has received no evidence indicating that a large number of prisoners of war were onboard the Il-76 military transport aircraft that crashed in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, contrary to statements made by the Russian Ministry of Defence and other representatives of the aggressor country.