Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov called the incident with the collapse of the Russian Il-76 aircraft in the Belgorod region, on board the Russian side, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war.
“The exchange of prisoners is a process that occurs in complete silence. The fact that the Ukrainians killed their prisoners, their citizens, who were supposed to be at home literally a day later, is a monstrous completely act,” said the Kremlin spokesman, said. whose words are given by Russian media.
Answering the question of what will happen to the exchanges, and whether they are paused, Peskov said that “how this will not say on the prospects of continuing this process.” “But I repeat once again, this is a process that should go in absolute silence,” he emphasized.
Speaking of whether there were any instructions on the part of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in connection with the collapse of the IL-76, Peskov said that at first the military should say what happened.
“What instructions can be given? Which, just imagine. At first, the military should say what happened. Only the military can say this, and as I understand it, that this is their prerogative,” said Peskov.
Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation also commented on the statement of the Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky regarding the international investigation of the causes of the IL-76 disaster.
“If he means an international investigation of the criminal actions of the Kyiv regime, it is definitely necessary,” Peskov says.
Zelensky in a night video message said that Ukraine would insist on an international investigation of the fall of the Russian military transport aircraft near Belgorod.
“GUR (the Main Directorate of Intelligence) is engaged in the clarification of the fate of all prisoners. The Security Service of Ukraine is investigating all the circumstances. And I gave an order to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to inform partners about the available data in Ukraine. Our state will insist on an international investigation,” said He.
Earlier, on January 24, the Russian military transport aircraft IL-76 crashed in the Belgorod region, on board of which there were 74 people.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Armed Forces) struck the IL-76 of the Russian Air Force using the anti-aircraft missile system from the Kharkov region, the launch of two missiles was recorded.
On board the aircraft there were six crew members, 65 Ukrainian troops for exchange and three Russian military who accompanied them. The crew and all passengers of the aircraft died, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported.
The department claims that “the Ukrainian leadership knew perfectly well that, according to the prevailing practice, today the military transport aircraft at the Belgorod airfield of Ukrainian military personnel for exchange would be carried out.”