Russia Demands International Investigation Of Il-76 Military Transport Aircraft Crash

Russian investigative officers on the wreckage of the Ilyushin Il-76 plane that crashed in Belgorod. (Source: Russian Investigative Committee via TASS)

JAKARTA - The Russian government is demanding an international investigation into the attack on the Il-76 Russian aircraft carrying prisoners of the Ukrainian war carried out by the Kiev regime, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said during an interview with the TASS News Agency.

"There is no doubt that an attack on Il-76 was carried out by the regime (President of Ukraine Vladimir) Zelenskyy. Kiev knows very well that the plane is transporting Ukrainian soldiers for a prisoner swap," Galuzin said as quoted by ANTARA from Anadolu, Saturday, February 10.

Russia insists on international investigations, so experts can evaluate the latest evidence that the plane was shot down using the US-made MIM-104 Patriot land-to-air missile (SAM) system from location and at a certain time in the current territory of the Kiev regime.

"Such an investigation format is still being considered," said the senior Russian diplomat.

On January 24, Ukrainian armed forces shot down Russia's Il-76 military transport plane on the Belgorod border area loaded with Ukrainian prisoners for exchange.

A total of 74 people were on board, including 65 Ukrainian military personnel, all of whom were killed.

Russia's Ministry of Defense called the incident a terrorist act.

He stressed that Kiev was aware of the transport of prisoners for exchanges to be carried out at the Kolotilovka checkpoint. It deliberately attacked the plane to accuse Moscow of destroying Ukrainian military personnel, he said.