31.01.2024, Moscow.
An Il-76 plane carrying Ukrainian POWs was shot down in the Belgorod region by a US Patriot system, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with confidants on January 31.
Putin said at a meeting with his confidants that it had already been established for sure that the plane with Ukrainian prisoners of war was shot down by the US Patriot air defense system and called for an international investigation into the downing of the Il-76 military transport plane near Belhorod.
“The Ukrainian authorities dropped a phrase that they would like to conduct an international investigation. We ask for this, we insist that an international investigation be conducted. But there are no official organizations willing,” Putin said.
He emphasized, “By the way, we should add that the plane was shot down, and this has already been established for sure, by the US Patriot system.”
Putin said that this had been established by expert examination. Moscow insists on an international investigation into the plane crash.
On January 24 military transport plane IL-76 was shot down over the Belgorod region by a missile of the Ukrainian armed units. It was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, 6 crew members, and 3 military escorts, all of whom were killed.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
