KYIV: The Ukraine SBU security service has initiated a criminal investigation into the crash of a Russian military plane that Moscow claimed killed 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war.
The incident occurred on Wednesday when a military transport plane was crashed in Russia’s Belgorod region near the Ukrainian border. Kyiv has not confirmed whether Ukrainian soldiers were involved or killed in the incident.
The SBU press service stated, “The security service of Ukraine has launched a criminal investigation into the downing of an IL-76 Russian Air Force plane in the Belgorod region,” and is actively working to clarify the circumstances.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for an international investigation. While Kyiv confirmed a planned prisoner exchange at the border on the same day but claims no prior information from Moscow regarding the transportation of POWs by plane.
Kyiv neither confirmed nor denied Russia’s claim that Ukraine shot down the plane, causing casualties among Ukrainian soldiers.
The SBU’s criminal probe is focused on examining potential “violations of the laws and customs of war.” Zelensky expressed concern on Thursday about Ukraine’s limited ability to ascertain facts, given that the incident occurred on Russian territory.
Russian seeks UNSC emergency session
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow has called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss the crash of a Russian plane.
Addressing a news conference at UN headquarters in New York, he hoped that the French presidency of the Security Council will conscientiously fulfill its jobs and schedule such a meeting immediately.
Russia has accused Ukraine of deliberately shooting down the military plane carrying 65 war prisoners, terming it a barbaric act of terrorism that had killed a total of 74 people.
Russia’s ministry of defense said Ukrainian PoWs were being flown to Belgorod for a prisoner swap. Kyiv, however, said they were not told to ensure safe airspace as on previous occasions.
