IL-76 plane crash near Belgorod: DNA matches of remains of almost 50 prisoners - Coordination Center
Russia claims that it has handed over to Ukraine the remains of 62 Ukrainian prisoners of war who were allegedly on an Il-76 plane that crashed in the Belgorod region. An examination confirmed the DNA matches of the remains of almost 50 prisoners.
This was stated by the head of the Secretariat of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War Bohdan Okhrimenko, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.
"Indeed, in December, 62 bodies were returned to us. The SSU is investigating this case. From the families who contact the Coordination Center, we know about almost 50 previous matches of the remains handed over by the Russians with the DNA of relatives," he said.
"We received from the Russian side, according to their legend, the remains of bodies that were allegedly on the plane, but the Coordination Center has no evidence that they were there," added Okhrimenko.
IL-76 crash in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation
On January 24, an Il-76 aircraft used to transport equipment and troops crashed in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation.
Russian media reported that the plane was carrying mostly Ukrainian prisoners of war, all of whom died.
The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine confirmed that a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine was to take place on January 24. Later, the representative of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Andriy Yusov, clarified that this exchange was to be the largest since the full-scale Russian invasion.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would insist on an international investigation into the situation with the plane and the prisoner exchange.
The SSU opens an investigation into the downing of the IL-76 in the Belgorod region.
Neither the UN nor the US can establish whether there were any Ukrainian prisoners of war on board.
Lubinets later said that Russia does not allow international experts to participate in the investigation, and the ICRC does not demand such access.
In early February, a representative of the Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, Andrii Yusov, said that Ukraine had asked Russia to return the bodies of Ukrainian prisoners of war who allegedly died as a result of the crash of an Il-76 aircraft in the Belgorod region. Russia has not yet responded to these requests.
As previously reported by Censor.NET, on March 1, Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskvalkova said that Russia was ready to hand over to Ukraine the bodies of those allegedly killed in the crash of the IL-76. On December 9, Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova assured that Russia had allegedly handed over to Ukraine the bodies of prisoners of war who, according to the Russian side, died in the crash of the IL-76 in the Belgorod region on January 24, 2024. Lubinets, in turn, said that Ukraine had received the remains of the victims, who were allegedly on board the IL-76. Identification is ongoing.
