KYIV, Ukraine - The recent claims made by Russia regarding the downing of a military transport plane by Ukrainian forces have been met with skepticism and lack of credible evidence. Ukrainian officials have stated that Russia has provided no substantial proof to support their allegations that Ukrainian forces shot down the plane, which Moscow claims was carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) intended for a swap with Russian POWs.
Late on Friday, the Ukrainian agency responsible for prisoner exchanges reported that Russian officials had provided them with a list of 65 Ukrainians who allegedly died in the plane crash, which occurred in Russia's Belgorod region on Wednesday. However, the agency stated that relatives of the named POWs were unable to identify their loved ones in the crash site photos provided by Russian authorities. Lt. Col. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, emphasized that Kyiv had no verifiable information about the individuals on board the plane, raising doubts about Russia's claim.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the transport plane was brought down by missiles fired from across the border as it was returning the Ukrainian POWs to Ukraine. Local authorities in the bordering Belgorod region confirmed the crash, reporting the death of all 74 people on board, including crew members and Russian servicemen. However, Ukrainian officials expressed skepticism about the number of people on board the aircraft. Budanov questioned the Russian propaganda's claim, stating that it continues to raise many questions.
A video posted on social media by users in the Belgorod region displayed the plane plummeting from the sky and a large explosion upon impact in a snowy rural area. While Kyiv has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the downing, they described Russia's assertion as 'rampant Russian propaganda.' Mykola Oleshchuk, Ukraine’s air force commander, dismissed Moscow's claims.
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on Russia to return the bodies of any Ukrainian POWs who may have died in the crash. A spokesperson for the ICRC in Ukraine highlighted the short period of time between the initial reports of the crash and Moscow's readiness to return the bodies, pointing out that previous prisoner exchanges required extensive preparation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for an international investigation into the incident, as Russia has sole access to the crash site.
Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to make the findings of Moscow's crash investigation public. However, he offered no supporting details for the allegation against Ukraine, claiming that the plane's flight recorders had been recovered and would provide necessary evidence.
As the war in Ukraine approaches its two-year mark, Ukraine is eager to demonstrate progress to its Western allies, particularly the United States, which provides military aid. Efforts to regain Russian-occupied areas have fallen short in the past. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met with his Lithuanian counterpart to discuss joint drone production and the revival of a European Union fund for military aid. Closer cooperation would provide Ukraine with more resources to counter Russian aggression and strengthen its defense capabilities.
The support from Lithuania, a nation that endured Russian and Soviet dominance, has been unwavering since the escalation of the conflict. Both ministers emphasized the importance of providing Ukraine with drones and increasing funding from the European Peace Facility for long-term military aid deliveries. Some EU members propose reevaluating the procurement process for supplying weapons to Ukraine, suggesting a shift away from national stocks and towards direct procurement.
The ongoing violence along the Ukrainian-Russian border continues to claim civilian lives. Ukrainian authorities reported that two civilians were shot and killed by Russian saboteurs in a border village near Russia. The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office has launched an investigation into the incident, while local officials have urged residents in the border area to evacuate. Additionally, Russian shelling resulted in the death of two civilians and the injury of two others across Ukraine. In the Russian-occupied south, a 70-year-old woman was reportedly wounded in a drone strike by the Ukrainian army, as reported by a Kremlin-installed regional official. The validity of these reports remains difficult to verify independently.
