The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Wednesday that Kyiv shot down a transport plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war en route to a prisoner exchange.
The ministry said the strike, which officials labeled a “terrorist attack,” killed all 74 people on board.
“It was absolutely deliberate,” Russian lawmaker Andrey Kartapolov told state media. “They knew very well that the plane was en route, where it was going and the operators of (Ukrainian) surface-to-air missile systems cannot mistake transport planes for military planes or helicopters as targets.”
The ministry said two Ukrainian missiles were fired at the plane.
“By committing this terrorist attack, the Ukrainian leadership showed its true colors — it neglected the lives of its citizens,” the Russian ministry said.
Ukraine has not commentated the reports.
If confirmed, the attack would be the deadliest on Russian soil since the onset of the war in the region, which began nearly two years ago.
The plane wreck occurred in the Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine. A prisoner swap was scheduled for later Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War did not provide details about the incident, warning of “unverified information.”
“We emphasize that the enemy is actively conducting information special operations against Ukraine aimed at destabilizing Ukrainian society,” it said in a statement on Telegram.
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