After the crash of a Russian military plane, many questions remain unanswered. It is unclear whether there were actually Ukrainian prisoners of war on board. Now the Ukrainian secret service SBU has opened an investigation. He’s also now talking about getting shot.
The SBU has “launched a criminal investigation into the shooting down of an Il-76 aircraft of the Russian Air Force in the Belgorod region,” the intelligence agency said in a statement on Thursday. According to the SBU, “a number of measures are currently being taken to clarify all circumstances surrounding the crash.” The investigation is therefore being conducted in accordance with Article 438 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code on violations of the laws of war.
Zelenskyj calls for international clarification
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously called for international clarification. Ukraine’s military intelligence service HUR is currently trying to learn more about the fate of dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war believed by Moscow to have been on board the plane, Zelensky said on Wednesday.
He also instructed Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to provide foreign partners with all information available to Ukraine. “Our state will push for international clarification,” he stressed. Zelensky also said: “It is clear that the Russians are playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners, with the feelings of their relatives and with the emotions of our society.”
Moscow: 65 prisoners of war on board
An Ilyushin Il-76 plane crashed in Russia’s western Belgorod region on Wednesday morning. According to Russian information, all 74 people on board were killed, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war. However, there is still no independent information about who or what the plane was carrying. The Ukrainian side only confirmed that a prisoner exchange was planned, but subsequently did not proceed. Ukraine accuses Russia of not communicating that Belgorod’s airspace should have been given special protection during the prisoner exchange.
Expert: “The plane was shot down”
German security expert Claudia Major again warned against hasty conclusions. Two facts are currently known, the head of the security policy research group of the Berlin Science and Politics Foundation (SWP) said on Thursday in the ZDF “Morgenmagazin”. “The plane was shot down. And a prisoner exchange was planned, but it didn’t happen.” This is currently “the only reliable information”. Everything else, such as the prisoner exchange lists, has been “speculation” until now. Zelenskyj’s demand for an international investigation into the exact cause of the crash is therefore justified.
Russian authorities released the names of the killed pilot and five other crew members on Thursday. “This is an irreparable loss for everyone. Our condolences go out to the families and friends of the heroes,” the newspaper said. Zelensky canceled a trip within Ukraine planned for Thursday and asked not to celebrate his 46th birthday today.
The Russian leadership instrumentalizes incidents
According to experts from the American Institute for War Studies (ISW) in Washington, the Russian leadership is exploiting the incident to sow distrust in Ukrainian society towards the government in Kiev. In particular, the issue of the exchange of prisoners of war is seen as a sensitive topic that arouses emotions among both Ukrainians and Russians. In addition, Russian officials sought to weaken Western military support for the country with unsubstantiated claims that Ukraine used German or American missiles for the alleged launch.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned on Thursday of the consequences of the crash. This was “an absolutely outrageous act,” he said. “Nobody can tell you what impact this will have on the prospects for extending the process” of the prisoner exchange, Peskov said.
Duma deputy: Ukraine has been warned
Meanwhile, Duma deputy Andrei Kartapolov said the prisoner exchange was continuing. Russia will “even talk to the devil” to bring back its captured soldiers, Kartapolov said. He further explained that Ukrainian military intelligence had been alerted 15 minutes before the transport plane was to enter the affected border area. Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets contradicted this: “We did not see any sign that there were a large number of people on the plane – whether they were citizens of Ukraine or not citizens of Ukraine,” he said on television on Thursday.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
