Russia insists that Ukrainian prisoners of war were on board its Il-76 aircraft that crashed near Belgorod on January 24. However, there is no indication of a willingness on the part of russia to hand over the bodies to Ukraine, as highlighted by Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson of the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. In an interview with Suspilne, Andriy Yusov shared updated information on the plane crash, acknowledging the widespread disinformation spread by the russians.
Andriy Yusov emphasized that the claim of Ukrainian prisoners being on board is solely based on russia’s statement, and currently, there is no indication that the other side is ready to facilitate the return of the bodies. He mentioned that Ukraine is actively engaged in this process and, if the worst is confirmed, will exert all efforts to bring back its defenders, regardless of the circumstances.
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Andriy Yusov did not dismiss the possibility that the russian Il-76 aircraft might have carried both ammunition and prisoners, potentially using the latter as a human shield. He described the aggressive reaction and the circumstances surrounding the crash as provocative. While an exchange was planned for that day, there was no ceasefire declared over Belgorod, and Moscow did not provide advance notice of its intention to use air transportation for prisoner transport.
Highlighting the ambiguous nature of the situation, Andriy Yusov noted that, given the aircraft’s purported one-third load, there could have been both ammunition and people on board. Given the Il-76 aircraft’s primary use for transporting ammunition, the presence of both becomes a crucial aspect that requires careful clarification. Ongoing efforts are directed towards investigating and understanding these complexities.
Read more: Downed Il-76 Was Transporting Attack Missiles to Belgorod, Ukraine's General Staff Hints
