Russia says Ukraine had 15 minutes warning of prisoner flight

Moscow has accused Kiev of shooting down an Ilyushin Il-76 plane in Russia’s Belgorod region, killing all 74 people on board, including 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers who were being exchanged for Russian prisoners. The Russian Investigative Committee said on Thursday that the plane was hit by a Ukrainian-made surface-to-air missile.

Ukraine was warned 15 minutes before the plane crashed, photo 1 — The site where a Russian Ilyushin Il-76 military transport plane was shot down in the village of Yablonovo in the Belgorod region, Russia on January 24, 2024. Photo: Russian Investigative Committee

Ukraine denied receiving the warning. It has neither confirmed nor denied that its forces shot down the plane, but has not confirmed the details of Russia's account and called for an international investigation.

“The Ukrainian side was officially warned and 15 minutes before the plane entered the area, they were given full information,” MP and General Andrei Kartopolov told Russian lawmakers. He said the Ukrainian military command confirmed receiving the warning.

His assertions differ from those of Ukrainian military intelligence, which said Russia had not informed them about the flight. Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov said Kiev had not received any requests from Russia to refrain from attacks in the airspace where the plane was shot down.

“No evidence has been presented to support the allegations… Nothing has been presented to prove the wreckage and the presence of people on board,” he told Ukrainian state television on Thursday.

Conflicting accusations from both sides are common in the conflict that is about to mark its two-year anniversary between Russia and Ukraine. However, the downing of the plane carrying prisoners is the deadliest incident of its kind to occur on Russian soil.

Ukraine was warned 15 minutes before the plane crashed. Image 2 — A piece of the wreckage of the downed prisoner transport plane. Photo: Russian Investigative Committee

The United Nations Security Council met Thursday at Russia's request to discuss the downed plane. U.N. political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the council that the United Nations does not have the authority to determine the circumstances of the crash.

Russia's Defense Ministry added on Wednesday that its air defenses had been active earlier in the morning and had shot down a Ukrainian drone in the area.

Russian emergency services said Thursday that fragments of a missile were found at the crash site in Russia's southwestern Belgorod region, near the border with Ukraine.

In a statement posted on the Telegram messaging app, Russian investigators said their "preliminary" conclusion was that the plane was hit by a Zenit anti-aircraft missile and a criminal investigation had been opened.

Hoang Anh (according to TASS, Reuters)

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