On January 24, 2024, a Russian IL-76 military transport plane crashed in the Belgorod region near the Ukraine border. The crash allegedly resulted in the deaths of 74 people, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six Russian crew members, and three Russian soldiers.
Russia has accused Ukraine of deliberately shooting down the plane with missiles, an act it describes as “barbaric” and a “terrorist act.” The Russian Defence Ministry stated that the plane was on its way to a prisoner exchange at the Kolotilovka border checkpoint and that Ukraine was aware a transport plane carrying captured Ukrainian soldiers was expected at the Belgorod airfield. Moscow is calling for an urgent session of the United Nations Security Council over the incident.
Ukraine’s military intelligence has indicated that they were not informed to ensure safe airspace for the flight, as had been the protocol in previous instances. This lapse in communication has led Ukrainians to speculate about Russia’s possible complicity in endangering the POWs’ lives.
The Ukrainian military’s initial reaction was perceived as  acknowledgment of shooting down the plane, although it highlighted the lack of reliable information about the plane’s occupants. Ukraine’s general staff, initially reported by Ukrainska Pravda, suggested that the IL-76 was transporting missiles for Russia’s S-300 air defense systems, without mentioning the presence of POWs. This claim adds another layer of complexity to the incident, raising questions about the plane’s actual mission.
Video Of IL-76 crash. Shrapnel holes in debris confirm that it was hit by an air defense missile, experts suggest. #POWS #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/sfBBhxs2HX
— EurAsian Times (@THEEURASIATIMES) January 24, 2024
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