What we know about the crash of a Russian military plane in the Belgorod region

A crash and many uncertainties. On Wednesday January 24, a Russian transport plane crashed in the Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine. Russian authorities say 74 people on board the plane were killed, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners who were on board for a detainee exchange.

Russian investigators say they have found documents identifying Ukrainian prisoners at the crash site. Moscow accused Ukraine of shooting down the plane, but Kiev confirmed neither the shooting nor the presence of Ukrainian prisoners on board. Franceinfo takes stock of what we know about the crash.

The plane crashed near the border

The Russian Defense Ministry announced in a press release broadcast on Telegram on Wednesday that an Il-76 transport plane crashed in the Belgorod region at 11:15 a.m. (9:15 a.m. in Paris). The plane took off from the Chkalovsky military airport northeast of Moscow and was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners who were to be exchanged with Russian military personnel. “At the Kolotilovka checkpoint on the Russian-Ukrainian border”, refers to the text. According to Moscow, a crew of six people and three Russian soldiers were also on board and were killed.

Verified by , presented as crash images New York Times

, show the collapse of a plane, which then crashed in Yablonovo, about 40 km northeast of Belgorod. Russia’s official Tass news agency also released a video showing debris in a snow-covered field.

For several weeks, the Russian region of Belgorod has been the scene of frequent Ukrainian missile and drone attacks. In late December, its capital was the target of a strike that killed 25 people, the deadliest against civilians on Russian soil since the start of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, the bombing has continued. The answer is increasing. Moscow’s forces in Ukraine undermine the Kremlin’s discourse that Russians’ daily lives are not disrupted by the conflict.

Moscow says it has evidence of prisoners on board

Two days after the tragedy, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported that the Russian Investigative Committee had found documents attributed to Ukrainian prisoners at the scene. “There are documents from Ukrainian servicemen who died in the disaster, confirming their identities, as well as documents from the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia,” Cites the agency.

On Telegram, the Russian Investigative Committee also claimed that the body parts of the victims were being examined and that “Some parts of the victim’s body, typical tattoos (from Ukrainian soldiers) “Similar symbols were recorded on the bodies of several members of the Ukrainian armed forces, including the Azov battalion, who were previously questioned in connection with criminal cases”, Supports Commission of Inquiry.

On Telegram, Kiev acknowledged that a prisoner exchange was planned on the day of the crash, but did not confirm the presence of Ukrainian troops on the crashed plane. Ukraine’s human rights commissioner says Russia is in any case “Security Officer”

Detainees in accordance with the Geneva Convention. He called on the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to go “Inspect the Premises” No crash.

The Ministry of Defense of Russia responded to it There were Ukrainian leaders “Fully aware that, in accordance with established practice, Ukrainian soldiers were to be taken to Belgorod airfield for exchange today by military transport aircraft.”

Moscow has accused Kiev of shooting down the plane

The Russian Defense Ministry accused Kiev of shooting down the plane from Liptsi in the Kharkiv region. “All the information we have today shows that we are dealing with a premeditated and well thought out crime.”, declared the Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky. In a statement to the Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, Russian MP and former general Andrey V. Kartapolov also claimed that the plane was shot down by three Ukrainian missiles, without providing evidence.

Subsequently, Russia announced the launch of an investigation into “terrorism”. “Witnesses of the incident are being questioned”, the Russian Investigative Committee responsible for the investigation said on Thursday. According to Russian state agency RIA Novosti, Russian investigators have recovered two black boxes from the wreckage.

“The intelligence services of the Ukrainian military knew that we were transporting 65 soldiers (Ukrainian) On board they shot him by mistake or on purpose, but they did it.”supported Vladimir Putin during a public intervention on Friday.

Kiev blames Moscow

Ukrainian officials have not confirmed that they shot down the plane, but the Ukrainian military has said it intends to continue. “Destroy delivery vehicles and control airspace to eliminate terrorist threat including Belgorod-Kharkiv area.”

Ukrainian special services have launched an investigation “Conducted under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Violation of the Laws and Customs of War)“, mentioned the Ukrainian special services. However, any investigation into Ukrainian territory seems difficult, as the device is on Russian territory.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also called for an international investigation. “It is clear that the Russians are playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners, with the feelings of their parents and with the feelings of our society”He justified.