Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova stated that Moscow has handed over the bodies of the “prisoners of war,” allegedly killed during the crash of an Il-76 plane in Belgorod in January this year, to Ukraine. She made the assertion in an interview with Moscow’s state news agency RIA Novosti on Monday although she did not confirm when the transfer was made.
“They have been handed over. This has already happened, and I was present at the time,” Moskalkova said.
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Meanwhile, the press service of Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (CHTPW) confirmed receiving the remains from Russia. However, they require further identification.
“During the recent repatriation efforts from the aggressor state, the remains of the deceased were handed over to Ukraine, which require additional identification.
“Currently, expert institutions, within the framework of a criminal investigation, are determining whether these remains belong to Ukrainian servicemen,” said the CHTPW, noting that the situation is being monitored and that the CHTPW is in communication with all authorized institutions.
A Russian IL-76 transport aircraft crashed in a giant fireball in Russia’s western Belgorod region, killing everyone on board on Jan. 24.
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Russia's defense ministry said the aircraft was carrying 65 Ukrainian soldiers captured during its full-scale invasion, as well as six crew and three escorts. The then Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilo cast doubt on the claims at the time.
Russia also claimed Ukrainian forces stationed in the Kharkiv border region had fired two missiles at the transport aircraft, describing it as a “terrorist act.”
It added that the crash had come hours ahead of the planned prisoner exchange at a border crossing in Belgorod.
Russia’s claims could not be verified and later the head of Russian-state broadcaster RT published a list of captured Ukrainian servicemen allegedly on board. But an analysis found only 13 names on the list were verified as Ukrainian POWs while at least one had already been traded back to Ukraine earlier that month.
Some analysts suggesting that the aircraft, which had previously flown through the Middle East, may have been carrying weapons rather than prisoners. The presence of POWs on board has not yet been confirmed
Kyiv confirmed a prisoner swap was due to occur on Wednesday but said the identities of those aboard the downed plane was yet to be established.
Five bodies were delivered to the morgue in Belgorod, and Russian rescuers were not allowed to examine the scene.
The Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force hinted that the Russian statement about Ukraine shooting down its own prisoners of war was a disinformation tactic aimed at reducing international support to Kyiv.
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