downed plane was hit by Ukrainian strike, French military source says

According to this source, the plane was hit by an American-made air defense battery held by the Ukrainian army.

The plane shot down on Wednesday January 24 above the town of Belgorod, in Russia, very close to the Ukrainian border, which was transporting 65 Ukrainian prisoners according to Moscow, was struck by a Ukrainian air defense battery, a Ukrainian air defense battery said Wednesday evening. French military source at franceinfo. According to this source, this plane, the Iyushin 76, was hit by this American-made “Patriot” air defense battery, held by the Ukrainian army.

An emergency meeting of the Security Council will take place Thursday evening at the request of Moscow, the French presidency of the Council announced on Wednesday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, visiting New York, had earlier in the day called for this meeting for Wednesday, but it will take place “tomorrow January 25” at 11 p.m. (French time), said the presidency.

Volodymyr Zelensky calls for international investigation

For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Wednesday evening for an international investigation into this matter. “It is obvious that the Russians are playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners, with the feelings of their parents and the emotions of our society”he declared in his daily address, without confirming or denying that the victims were indeed prisoners of his country.

The Russian Defense Ministry accused kyiv of having shot down this Russian military plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, claiming to have observed “the launch of two missiles”. “The Kiev regime committed a terrorist act by shooting down a Russian military transport plane that was flying from Chkalovskiy airfield to Belgorod to transport Ukrainian servicemen for an exchange”, affirmed the ministry. According to Moscow, no one survived the plane crash.

Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) claimed not to have “reliable information” on the passengers of the downed Russian plane. “An exchange of prisoners was planned today, but it did not take place”he added, assuring that Ukraine had not “not been informed” of the need to secure airspace in the area.