Russia-Ukraine War: A Russian military plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war crashed near Belgorod. Moscow has claimed the death of 74 people in this plane crash. According to news agency Guardian, there were 74 people on board the plane at the time of the accident, all of whom have died.
According to the Guardian report, according to the Defense Ministry of Russia, a large military transport plane crashed in the border area of Belgorod. The ministry claimed that the Russian Ilyushin Il-76 military transport aircraft was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war. All these prisoners of war were to be exchanged, but before that this plane became a victim of an accident.
On the other hand, different claims are being made by Ukraine and Russia regarding this accident. However, there is no official confirmation from anyone in the media reports as to how the accident happened.
Big things about plane crash
The Guardian has made it clear in its report that it cannot immediately confirm Russian claims as to who were on board the plane and what was the reason for the accident. However, in the report, the Russian Ministry claimed that there were 6 crew and 3 Russian soldiers on board the Ilyushin IL-76, which was the victim of the accident.
According to the report, Ukraine is also avoiding making any direct comment regarding this incident. However, on behalf of Ukrainian President’s advisor Mykhailo Podolyak, Reuters Agency was told that something could be said about this only after some time. Some time is needed regarding clarity of data.
Ukrainian Pravda newspaper, quoting sources, had initially reported after the accident that the Kiev armed forces had shot down the plane, but this report was later withdrawn.
In a video footage viral on social media, a big plane is seen crashing and a massive explosion occurs in the form of a ball of fire and debris is seen lying here and there on the snowy ground.
IL-76 designed to transport weapons
Russia is blaming Ukraine for this accident. Russia alleges that Ukraine has shot down its transport plane. The IL-76 is a military transport aircraft designed to transport troops, cargo, military equipment and weapons.
The Ukrainian military also issued a statement in which it accused the Russian military of using military transport aircraft to deliver missiles to the Belgorod region to carry out cross-border attacks in recent weeks.
Ukraine Armed Forces will continue measures to control airspace
The statement also said that in view of all this, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will continue all their measures to destroy transport vehicles and control the airspace to eliminate the terrorist threat, including in the Belgorod-Kharkiv direction. However, Ukraine did not confirm or deny the downing of the plane on Wednesday (January 24), as claimed in the Ukrainian Pravda report, which was removed. This report claimed that the Ukrainian Army was targeting a consignment of S-300 missiles en route to Belgorod.
Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin says the plane was ‘shot down’ by Kiev and blames Western missiles. Volodin told lawmakers during a plenary session that he shot his own soldiers into the air. At the same time, our pilots who were engaged in humanitarian missions were also shot down.
‘The plane was targeted by 3 missiles’
Senior MP of the Russian Parliament and retired general Andrei Kartapolov also said during the parliamentary session that the plane was targeted by 3 missiles due to which it met with an accident. However, he did not disclose the source of this information.
There was to be an exchange of prisoners from Russia and Ukraine
Kartapalov said that investigation will reveal whether the missiles were Western-supplied Patriots or Iris-TS. He also claimed that before the plane crash, Russia and Ukraine were to exchange 192-192 prisoners on Wednesday.
According to a report by Russian outlet TASS, quoted by News Sky.com, Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov said in the United Nations that Ukraine is spreading propaganda and trying to put the blame for the accident on Russia. He also said that we are trying to find out the facts.
Important 10 points related to plane crash
- There were 74 people on board the plane at the time of the accident.
- There were 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war on board the plane that crashed.
- Russian Ministry claims- 6 crew and 3 Russian soldiers were also on board the Ilyushin IL-76.
- Ukrainian army accused of using Russian military transport aircraft to deliver missiles to Belgorod region
- IL-76 military transport aircraft designed to transport troops, cargo, military equipment and weapons
- Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin claims the plane was ‘shot down’ by Kiev, blames Western missiles
- Russian MP Andrei Kartapolov claims – the plane was targeted by 3 missiles
- Russia and Ukraine were to exchange 192-192 prisoners on Wednesday
- Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov said- Ukraine is spreading propaganda
- Lavrov said- trying to put the blame for the accident on Russia, we are finding out the facts.
