Kiev asked the Red Cross for help to establish whether the downed Russian military plane was actually carrying Ukrainians

Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinetstoday made an official request to the Red Cross to know whether it was informed by the Russian government Ukrainian prisoners were to be taken in military aircraft Which crashed on the 24th in the border area of ​​the Russian Federation with Ukraine.

Moscow assures 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war Those who were to be exchanged the same day died in the crash along with three Russian soldiers guarding them and six crew members. According to the Russian version, the plane was shot down by missiles fired by Ukraine, which has neither confirmed nor denied this claim.

“I would like to receive an official response from the International Committee of the Red Cross as to whether the Russian Federation has stated that it will take Ukrainian prisoners of war in this or that way,” Lubinets told the Ukrainian service. Radio Freedom.

Kyiv ombudsman notes parties involved in prisoner exchange Legally obliged to inform the Red Cross How are they transferred to the exchange location.

Lubinets also stressed this Friday that Russia has not officially released the names of the 65 Ukrainian POWs who died in the incident.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia has not yet provided any information about alleged Ukrainian victims of the incident.

,Testing, that’s the key word now (…) Our state will insist on an international investigation,” the Ukrainian president said. Volodymyr ZelenskyWho specified that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has already started an investigation to clarify “all the circumstances” of the incident.

Ukrainian officials suspect that the damaged plane was carrying prisoners in exchange for Russian soldiers.

“Taking into account the aircraft, it is necessary to establish, as far as possible, all the facts Fell on Russian territory, beyond our controlZelensky insisted.

“The Russians play with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners, the feelings of their families, and the feelings of our society,” he condemned, without specifying who shot down the plane or what caused its downing.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry PeskovThe Ukrainian president responded to the statements by saying that “if he is referring to the investigation of the criminal actions of the Kiev regime, it is clearly necessary.”

“This is not the first time that the Kyiv regime has killed its citizens. They started killing them by firing from tanks in 2014 and they are continuing to do so,” he said.

In turn, the representative of Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR), Andrey Yusov, said that he was aware of Only five bodies entered the Belgorod city morgue after the disaster.

(with information from EFE)