at the UN, kyiv and Moscow continue to blame each other for the crash of the Russian military plane

According to Russian authorities, the plane was transporting 65 Ukrainian prisoners for exchange. Ukraine calls for an international investigation.

The mystery remains. kyiv and Moscow continue to blame each other for the crash of a Russian military plane near the Ukrainian border. Russia and Ukraine maintained their versions, sharply exchanging accusations, during the meeting of the UN Security Council, organized Thursday January 25 the day after the crash of the aircraft, which, according to the authorities, was transporting Russians, 65 Ukrainian prisoners with a view to an exchange.

“All the information we have today shows that we are dealing with a premeditated and well-thought-out crime,” said Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN Dmitry Polyanskiy, whose country had requested the emergency meeting. The Russian diplomat accused the Ukrainians of having wanted “sabotage the procedure” prisoner exchange “in the most barbaric way” and having agreed to “sacrifice their own citizens for the geopolitical interests of the West”.

Deputy Ukrainian Ambassador Khrystyna Hayovyshyn refuted his accusations, saying that if the presence of prisoners on board was confirmed, Russia would have to report a “new violation of international humanitarian law”. It would be “the first case of use in the air of human shields to cover the transport of missiles”, she denounced.

kyiv has not confirmed any shots

On Wednesday January 24, an Il-76 transport plane crashed near the Russian village of Yablonovo, 45 kilometers from the border with Ukraine in the Belgorod region, killing its 74 occupants, according to Russian authorities. According to them, 65 Ukrainian prisoners who were going to be exchanged were there, with a crew of six people and three Russian soldiers. However, Russia has not provided any proof of the identity of the passengers.

kyiv did not confirm having shot down the plane, but stressed its desire to continue targeting military targets on Russian territory. And Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) insisted on the lack “reliable and complete information” concerning the passengers of the plane. President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for an international investigation.