Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of “playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners” after Moscow blamed Ukraine for the crash of a military transport plane.
The Ilyushin Il-76 crashed in the Russian border region of Belgorod on Wednesday, killing everyone on board.
The Russian Defense Ministry said 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) were on board the aircraft in preparation for a prisoner exchange, as well as six Russian crew members and three Russian soldiers.
“It is obvious that the Russians are playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners, with the feelings of their relatives and with the emotions of our society,” Zelensky said in his speech on Wednesday evening.
He did not confirm or deny Russia's claims but said it had been a “very difficult day.”
“We have to establish all the clear facts. As much as possible, considering that the downing of the plane took place on Russian territory, which is beyond our control,” he said.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the plane was hit while flying from a military airfield near Moscow to Belgorod.
Near the border with Ukraine, Belgorod has been the target of Ukrainian air strikes in recent weeks. The ministry claimed, without providing evidence, that radars had registered the launch of two Ukrainian missiles.
“On board were 65 captured Ukrainian army personnel transported to the Belgorod region for exchange, six crew members and three escorts,” state news agency RIA Novosti quoted the Defense Ministry as saying. No evidence was provided to support the claim.
A few hours later, the Ukrainian military said it had noticed additional Russian military transport aircraft landing in Belgorod, which it linked to ongoing Russian missile attacks on Kharkiv and other Ukrainian cities.
“Ukraine has the right to defend itself and destroy the attackers’ airstrikes,” Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said.
The Kremlin told reporters it was investigating the reports about the plane, while Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council and said Russia wanted to clarify “the reasons for the Ukrainian crime.”
A French spokesman at the United Nations said the meeting would take place at 5 p.m. (2200 GMT) on Thursday.
Zelensky also called for an international investigation into the crash.
No inquiry about airspace safety
Ukrainian intelligence said in a statement it had no “reliable or comprehensive information” about who and how many were on board the plane.
Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, said that a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine had been prepared for Wednesday, Ukrainian state broadcaster Suspilne reported, citing Radio Free Europe, a Czech media outlet.
A service is being held in Russia for the victims of the Ilyushin Il-76 crash [AFP]
Yusov added that the prisoner exchange would not take place.
Military intelligence also said that, contrary to previous agreements, Ukraine was not asked to ensure airspace security around Belgorod, nor was it informed about which means of transport and which routes would be used.
“On this basis, we may be talking about planned and deliberate actions by Russia to destabilize the situation in Ukraine and weaken international support for our state,” it said in a statement on Telegram.
A video posted on Telegram by Baza, a channel linked to Russian security services, showed a large plane crashing and exploding in a fireball.
Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on social media that investigators and rescue workers had already arrived at a site in Korochansky, a district in Belgorod Oblast.
“The plane crashed into a field near a populated area. “Everyone on board died,” Gladkow said on his Telegram channel.
The Il-76 is designed for air transport of troops, cargo, military equipment and weapons. The crew usually consists of five men and can carry up to 90 passengers.
Kharkiv and Kiev were attacked by Russian airstrikes on Tuesday, killing at least 18 people.
In December, Russia accused Ukraine of carrying out a “terrorist attack” on civilians in the city of Belgorod, killing 25 people.
Last week, the Kremlin accused Kiev of killing 27 people in an attack on the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Donetsk. Ukraine has denied the claim.