At a meeting of the UN Security Council, Ukraine and the Russian Federation exchanged mutual accusations over the recent tragedy with the crash of an Il-76 plane in the Belgorod region.
Those present watched an intense “exchange of blows” between diplomats of the two countries on Thursday, January 25 in New York. Deputy Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN Dmitry Polyansky accused Ukraine of being “ready to sacrifice its own citizens for the sake of the geopolitical interests of the West,” saying:
“All the information we have today shows that we are dealing with a premeditated, premeditated crime.”
Ukraine’s deputy representative to the UN, Kristina Gayovyshyn, in turn, said that Ukraine was not informed about the number and type of transport used to transport prisoners:
“This alone may indicate deliberate actions by Russia aimed at jeopardizing the lives and safety of prisoners. If the information that there were Ukrainian prisoners of war on board the plane is confirmed, this will be a serious violation of international humanitarian law by Russia. This will be the first time Russia has used a human shield in the air to cover weapons transportation.”
An urgent meeting on the Il-76 crash was initiated by the Russian Federation, tells D.W. As the German news agency dpa notes, representatives of Western states at the meeting emphasized that the collapse would never have occurred without Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine. US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said:
“Russia has repeatedly tried to shift responsibility for the tragedies of this senseless and imposed war onto others, as if it were a victim and not an aggressor.”
Military transport Il-76 crashed January 24 in the Korochansky district of the Belgorod region in a field near the village of Yablonovo. According to Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, all people on board were killed. The Telegram channels “Important Stories” and “ChTD”, citing the Russian Ministry of Defense, reported that there were 65 captured Ukrainian military personnel on board who were being transported for exchange, as well as 6 crew members and 3 accompanying persons. The Russian Ministry of Defense called the crash a “terrorist attack” and accused Kyiv of committing it.
Ukrainian authorities insist on an inspection of the plane crash site by international independent experts. Dmitry Lubinetsthe Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, appealed to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross to inspect the site of the disaster:
“Ukraine demands a transparent international investigation into the crash of the Il-76 plane.”
On January 25, on Radio Liberty, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Andrei Yusov, said that, according to the department’s information, only five bodies were delivered to the morgue in Belgorod, which corresponds to the number of personnel on the plane’s crew.
The Security Service of Ukraine began an investigation into the circumstances of the Il-76 crash in the Belgorod region. Criminal proceedings have been opened under an article on violation of the laws and customs of war, RBC-Ukraine and Ukrainska Pravda wrote with reference to the special service. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky previously said that Kyiv would insist on an international investigation into the Il-76 crash.
In the Main Intelligence Directorate told the details of the exchange prisoners with Russia, which was supposed to take place on January 24, but fell through, and it was also reported that the Il-76 aircraft, which allegedly transported Ukrainian prisoners, had previously supplied missiles for attacks on Kharkov. A representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense and the Coordination Headquarters, Andrei Yusov, said:
“The issue of delivering prisoners for exchange is the responsibility of the country that is holding them. Ukraine, for its part, took all measures to ensure that the exchange took place. Civilian transport with Russian prisoners was on site, in the Sumy direction. Everything was ready for the exchange. The relevant services were warned , a regime of silence was ensured in the direction. Border guards, security and defense forces – all worked properly.
Last time, on January 3, when Ukraine returned 230 of its defenders, Russia also used air travel to move our prisoners. But then Ukraine was warned in advance, and there was a request to ensure a regime of silence, because a plane with Ukrainian prisoners of war was boarding. Of course, Ukraine adhered to this, and the exchange was successfully implemented.
Regarding yesterday’s events… Such information was not received from the aggressor, either verbally or in writing. …According to the Russians themselves, they use military aircraft to transport Ukrainian prisoners. Il-76M is a military aircraft with a twin anti-aircraft gun on the tail.”
The UN cannot confirm the circumstances of the IL-76 crash. Moscow and Kyiv are conducting separate investigations.
More Stories
Deputy Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate: "Such wars can only end with agreements"
What blew up the Crimean Bridge in 2022
There will be no forced return of Ukrainian men from abroad; the e-office for those liable for military service will start working on May 18