World

Did Ukraine commit suicide by shooting down a Russian plane? A year later, it did not speak.


A year has passed since Moscow accused Kyiv of shooting down a Russian military plane carrying dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war. Ukraine has launched an investigation, but has not yet released its findings, leaving questions about who was killed and why.

The crash of an IL-76 transport plane in the Belgian region of Russia, near the border with Ukraine, has brought a series of accusations at a delicate moment for Kyiv, as it lobbies Western Aid to building up its depleted arsenals.

Russian officials called it an “act of terrorism” and convened an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Ukrainian officials did not admit or deny Shoot down the plane, and say they cannot confirm that Ukrainian prisoners are on board. US officials later evaluated That Ukrainian forces used an American-made patriotic missile to shoot it down, thinking the plane was carrying Russian missiles and ammunition.

We have many questions about this situation

With the inmates’ families still waiting for answers, here’s what we know about the one-year crash.

Ministry of Defense of Russia said on January 24, 2024 That one of its military transports was shot down while en route to Belgium for a prisoner exchange. They said the plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war and that no one survived the crash.

Ukraine initially asserted the right to target Russian military transport planes in the border area, which hosted the 2022 invasion and was used for attacks afterward. At the time of the crash, deadly Russian rocket attacks pounded Kharkiv, just across the border in Ukraine and Kyiv, underscoring the need to thwart such attacks.

Soon, however, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency hinted at the possibility of a tragic mistake, not directly admitting that Ukraine had downed the plane but offering explanations as to how it might have happened. go out. A Ukrainian official said the IL-76, commonly used to transport goods, had Previously used To deliver ammunition and missiles, suggesting it was a legitimate target.

The agency admitted a prisoner swap was planned for January 24 – but said Russia had not warned Ukraine that the prisoners were flying to a Belgian airport, as had been the case in previous exchanges. Russian officials argue that Account, says that Ukraine’s military has been informed.

The various statements illustrate the persistent lack of clarity that has become a defining feature of the war. Both sides have pushed their favorite narratives over nearly three years of fighting, and are reluctant to reveal or admit defeats.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine called on his country’s intelligence agency to determine what happened and for an international investigation into the crash. He accused Russia of playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners, the feelings of their relatives and the feelings of our society.

Ukraine’s domestic intelligence service has opened an investigation into the incident.

Russian officials said the plane crashed in a snowfield near a settlement in Korochansky district. No independent group was able to access the incident site; Ukraine requested that the Red Cross and the United Nations be granted access.

Unverified satellite images and Russian video captured what appeared to be the incident crash site and debris of a plane in the area Russia described, but the passengers could not be identified from the images.

Ukrainian officials have asked for patience from citizens while they investigate Moscow’s claims.

Prisoner exchanges occurred frequently throughout the war, even in the midst of bitter fighting. But the Ukrainian authorities often No disclosure, even to the familyThe names of those placed will be released prior to the exchange.

Russian authorities did not identify the victims of the crash in their statement. But name Of the 65 prisoners of war believed to be on board were shared on social media by Editor-in-Chief of RT, the Russian state media broadcaster,

A few days later, Ukrainian government agencies monitored prisoners of war confirmed that name On the list fit those set to exchange on the day of the accident. But the agency said it had no evidence to confirm that those prisoners were on the plane, or even that they were dead.

It was around that time that Sofia Sobolyeva says her family received a call from the military requesting a meeting. Ms. Sobolyeva’s father has been imprisoned in Russia since March 2022 – shortly after the start of the war – and his name is on the list.

They gathered us and explained the situation but didn’t answer any questions, she said. Authorities were committed to a speedy investigation, she said, and asked relatives to submit DNA.

The case dropped from the headlines for months. An exchange of remains in early November was the first sign of a potential break.

The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed that it was present for the November 8 transfer of remains. Russia said the transfer included the remains of 65 people killed in the IL-76 fall, but That claim could not be independently verified.

Subsequently, the ICRC did not participate in the identification process, the agency said this week in response to questions, adding that it was ready to assist authorities with technical assistance.

Ms Sobolyeva said that the 65’s families, who had set up a WhatsApp group, were aware of the transfer and were told by Ukrainian authorities that time was needed for DNA expertise.

Ukraine’s prosecutor general and security service did not respond to questions from The New York Times about the status of the investigation or whether any remains have been identified.

But there appears to be little dispute over who brought down the plane.

The Russian Defense Ministry has accused Ukrainian forces of launching missiles from the nearby Kharkiv region of Ukraine that attacked the plane. US officials reported about the incident The latter said that Ukraine used a patriotic anti-aircraft missile to take down the plane.

While Ukraine has not officially accepted responsibility, Ms. Sobolyeva said that was beside the point for now.

“Logically, we understand that Ukraine shot it down,” she said, “although officially we have nothing.”

What she’s less certain of is whether families will have answers to their other questions – like how it happened, and why.

She described her father as a kind man with golden hands – able to fix anything that was broken – who loved gardening.

“There was a lot of tension and tears, but I still can’t understand what happened,” Ms. Sobolyeva said one recent evening.

Now, she added, I just wear his black hat, so I feel warmer – both mentally and physically.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *