Crashed military plane attacked by missile fired from Ukraine, Russia claims

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia on Thursday claimed the military transport plane that crashed in the Belgorod region a day earlier killing all 74 people on board was targeted by a missile fired from Ukraine.

“The initial results of investigative actions, including preliminary data from the inspection of the scene of the incident, allow us to conclude that the aircraft was attacked by an anti-aircraft missile from the territory of Ukraine,” the Investigative Committee said in a statement.

Moscow has accused Kyiv of downing the military plane, which included 65 Ukrainian servicemen, and was en route to Ukraine for a prisoner exchange.

The Russian Defense Ministry called the incident "a terrorist attack" executed to accuse Russia of killing Ukrainian servicemen. Ukrainian authorities were "well aware of the planned transportation" with the purpose of further exchange, it added.

As part of a criminal case launched on the incident, the Investigative Committee said fragmented human remains and aircraft flight recorders were discovered at the crash site, which have been sent for decoding.

“Expertise has been ordered on the seized fragments of the fuselage and other material evidence. Witnesses and eyewitnesses to the incident are being questioned, and the inspection of the crash site continues,” it said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence claimed the incident could be a “planned and deliberate” action by Moscow to “destabilize” the situation. It said it currently does not have “reliable and comprehensive information” about who and how many people were onboard.

Ukraine’s Security Service has also launched its own investigation into the incident, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying Kyiv will insist on an international investigation, and the SBU is “investigating all the circumstances.”