33 Mins AgoUkraine suggests Russia failed to provide information on POW route after aircraft downedUkraine implied that Russia did not inform them about creating safe airspace after a military aircraft crashed, reportedly carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war before an exchange. Ukraine’s intelligence agency said they did not have reliable and comprehensive information about the passengers. Russia accused Ukraine of downing the aircraft and claimed 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war and nine Russians were killed. However, Ukraine stated an exchange of prisoners was scheduled for Wednesday but did not take place. The Ukrainian intelligence department argued that the Russian side failed to ensure the safety of their personnel and did not inform them about the necessary safety measures.
Ukraine’s army declared it would continue to “control the airspace” to reduce the threat of missiles, including in the Belgorod-Kharkiv direction. This comes after a Russian military transport plane crashed in Belgorod on Wednesday.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense released a statement on Telegram alleging that Ukraine committed a terrorist act by shooting down the military transport aircraft. The statement claimed that six crew members, 65 Ukrainian military personnel for exchange and three Russian military personnel accompanying them all died in the crash.
A Russian official baselessly accused Ukraine of shooting down a Russian military transport plane and also mentioned other incidents, including the shooting down of Malaysian jetliner Flight MH17 in 2014 and an explosion at the Olenivka prisoner of war camp.
Belgorod’s governor confirmed that all those on board the crashed plane died in the incident.
A Russian lawmaker stated that the downed military transport plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war and that the plane was shot down by three missiles.
The Kremlin’s Press Secretary said the Kremlin was looking into reports that the Russian military plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war had crashed in the Belgorod region. Russia’s Ministry of Defense and domestic media outlets reported earlier that a Russian Ilyushin Il-76 military transport plane crashed near the Ukrainian border on Wednesday.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reportedly said an Il-76 military transport aircraft that crashed in the border Belgorod region was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war and nine Russians.
A Russian military transport plane — an Ilyushin Il-76 — crashed in the border Belgorod region, according to pro-Kremlin media outlets.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea is unlikely to take place before the presidential election in March, the Kremlin said in a statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian missile strikes on major Ukrainian cities Tuesday killed 18 people and injured more than 130. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry commented that the latest strikes were not a revenge for an alleged Ukrainian attack on a marketplace in Russian-occupied Donetsk on Sunday.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the “massive” Russian strikes show the need to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense.— Holly Ellyatt
