A Russian Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane was seen on video crashing in the Belgorod region, close to the border with Ukraine. Video: XKyiv sources have cast doubt on Moscow’s claim that Ukraine killed 65 of its own soldiers by shooting down a Russian military transport plane that was taking them to a prisoner exchange. Russia’s defence ministry said the plane was shot down by missiles launched from the neighbouring Kharkiv region in Ukraine, in a “terrorist act” that killed all 74 people on board – nine Russian crew members and soldiers, and 65 Ukrainian prisoners. “The Ukrainian leadership was well aware that, in accordance with established practice, Ukrainian servicemen would be transported by military transport aircraft to the Belgorod airfield today to be exchanged,” the ministry said in a statement. Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency said after the plane crash that a prisoner exchange planned for Wednesday would not take place.

Source: The Irish Times January 25, 2024 00:25 UTC