Ekaterina Girnyk19:21, 01/26/24

Putin said that the plane was shot down by Ukraine and that there were Ukrainian prisoners of war on board who were heading to the exchange site.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, two days after the incident with the fall of the Russian military transport aircraft Il-76 in the Belgorod region, commented on this event.

Thus, the Russian president repeated the previously stated statements of the Russian authorities that the plane was shot down by Ukraine and there were Ukrainian prisoners of war on board who were heading to the exchange site.

“They shot down our plane, Il-76, with its military personnel – 65 people. We didn’t just transport them there. And the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine knew that we were taking military personnel there, 65 people, and everything was planned, in my opinion , 190. And, knowing this, they attacked this plane. I don’t know whether they did it on purpose or by mistake, through thoughtlessness. But it is obvious that they did it,” Putin said.

He stated that two missile launches were recorded from territories controlled by Ukraine. However, he stated that “under no circumstances” could this have been “friendly fire.”

According to him, the weapons seized on the spot indicate that it was an air defense missile.

“By definition, our air defense systems cannot carry out strikes on their own aircraft. There are friend-or-foe systems there, and no matter how much the operator presses the button, our air defense systems would not work. Equipment,” Putin concluded.

Putin also announced that most likely these were American Patriot systems, or European air defense systems, most likely French.

Putin commented on the fall of Il-76

(C)UNIAN 2024