aWed, 24 Jan 2024 23:23:00 +0100
b24.01.2024 23:23
c
Updated: 24/01/2024 23:23 Issued: 24/01/2024, 22:53
On January 24, 2024, an Il-76 military aircraft crashed in Russia’s Belgorod region. The image shows flames rising from the plane crash site. AP/Uncredited
Kyiv/Belgorod – On Wednesday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for an international investigation into the crash of the Il-76 military plane, which fell in the morning in the Belgorod region of Russia, adjacent to Ukraine. Moscow earlier accused Kyiv of shooting down the plane. According to Russian authorities, there were 74 people on board, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, who all died in the crash.
In his regular evening speech, Zelenskyi neither confirmed nor denied whether his compatriots were really on board.
“All the facts need to be clearly established,” Ukrainian media quoted Zelensky as saying. “As much as possible, given that the plane crashed on Russian territory – beyond our control,” the president said. According to him, the Ukrainian intelligence services are now investigating the fate of the Ukrainian prisoners and all the circumstances of the plane crash.
“I have instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Dmytro Kuleba) to inform partners about the facts available to Ukraine. Our country will insist on an international investigation,” Zelenskyy said.
The Russian Ministry of Defense earlier said that today around 11:00 Moscow time (9:00 CET) the Il-76 plane, which was transporting 65 prisoners of war to the Ukrainian Armed Forces to the Belgorod region, crashed. According to him, there were also six crew members and three escort members in the plane. The ministry did not substantiate its claims in any way.
The Ukrainian president accused Russia, which launched a large-scale invasion of Ukrainian territory almost two years ago, of playing with the feelings of Ukrainians and the emotions of those who have loved ones among the captives with today’s announcement.
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