Ukraine claims that the Il-76 downed in Belgorod was carrying high-ranking Russian officials

The Ukrainian Intelligence claims that senior Russian officials were on board the Il-76 Russian Air Force plane shot down over Belgorod.

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The Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s General Intelligence Directorate reported via its Telegram account that on the Il-76 military transport plane shot down yesterday near the city of Belgorod, not 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs), but senior Russian state officials were traveling.

Ukraine claimed responsibility for shooting down a Russian Il-76MD, allegedly carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war

This was stated by Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, during a radio interview.

«On board should have traveled several official personalities of the military and political leadership of the aggressor state. Their names are known and will be revealed, the materials will be handed over within the framework of an international investigation,» Yusov said.

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He added that before takeoff, Russian intelligence services prohibited the senior officials in question from boarding the plane.

«At the last moment, the FSB ordered them not to board the plane and to use other means of transport,» Andriy Yusov added.

According to this Ukrainian intelligence representative, after the Il-76 «crash» (this is how he describes it), Russian rescuers arrived at the site, but did not have access to the site to work according to the established protocols, because they were expelled by FSB agents (Russian Federal Security Service, successor organization to the KGB).

⚡️⚡️⚡️ Imágenes exclusivas desde el lugar del accidente del Il-76

Un corresponsal de RT filmó la situación en el lugar donde se accidentó el avión militar ruso Il-76 que transportaba a 65 prisioneros de guerra ucranianos. pic.twitter.com/MTlkUVgD1F

— RT en Español (@ActualidadRT) January 24, 2024

It was also noted that in the video of the wreckage of the Il-76 posted on networks, no bodies are visible (as well as no remains of the alleged S-300 missiles that, at first, Ukraine claimed the plane was carrying).

«According to the data of the (intelligence) Agency, it is known that only five corpses arrived at the morgue in Belgorod. In reality, this figure corresponds to the number of crew members of the Il-76 itself,» Andriy Yusov concluded.

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky on Wednesday called for an international investigation into the crash of the Russian plane. «It is clear that the Russians are playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners, with the feelings of their relatives and the emotions of our society,» he said in his daily message.

Today, Defense Minister Umerov, Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhnyi, Military Intelligence Head Budanov, and Security Service Head Maliuk delivered their reports regarding the aircraft and prisoner exchange.

It is clear that the Russians are playing with the lives of Ukrainian… pic.twitter.com/WZGIoK165r

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 24, 2024

In turn, Moscow claims that the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s General Intelligence Directorate received a 15-minute warning before the aircraft, allegedly carrying the Ukrainian POWs, entered the area.

❗State Duma Committee on Defense Kartapolov: Ukraine was warned about the flight plan of the Il-76 15 minutes before the departure of the Il-76. According to the him, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine confirmed receipt of the information.

“The Ukrainian side was… pic.twitter.com/qc4BnLEOoP

— Zlatti71 (@djuric_zlatko) January 25, 2024

Through his social networks, the head of the Ukrainian Air Force, Mikola Oleshchik, refutes Moscow’s claims, assuring that it is Russian propaganda, aimed at discrediting Ukraine in the eyes of the international community.

While one side and the other are hurling accusations at each other, the exchange of prisoners of war, which was to take place yesterday, is still not happening.

In the absence of conclusive evidence to determine who was really on board the downed Il-76, one can only be patient and remember the Greek tragedian Aeschylus, who wisely observed that «the first casualty when war comes, is the truth».