Ukraine War: Dozens of POWs killed in Russian plane fireball
Kyiv vowed to continue targeting Russian airspace after it was accused of shooting down a plane transporting 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, and nine crew. Warning: Graphic
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Ukraine vowed to continue targeting Russian airspace hours after Moscow accused Kyiv of shooting down a plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners, plus nine crew.
In a statement that did not mention the crash, the Ukrainian army said it would “continue to take measures to destroy delivery vehicles and control airspace to eliminate the terrorist threat, including in the Belgorod-Kharkiv direction.”
Unverified videos on social media showed a large plane, purportedly in Russia’s western Belgorod region, falling from the sky on its side before crashing in a fireball.
Russia’s defence ministry said the IL-76 plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian soldiers captured in Russia’s offensive, six crew and three escorts.
It claimed Ukrainian forces stationed in the Kharkiv border region had fired two missiles at the transport aircraft and described the incident as a “terrorist act”.
⌠A Russian military aircraft, Il-76, has crashed in the Belgorod region.
— Maria Drutska 🇺🇦 (@maria_drutska) January 24, 2024
Preliminary, there were 63 people on board the aircraft.
The aircraft supposedly was transporting missiles for the S-300 systems, with which the Russians are shelling the Kharkiv region. pic.twitter.com/f7TpymPVSP
The plane crash site. Where are the bodies of the 60 deceased, as claimed by Russia?â‰ï¸ https://t.co/pvGM6musNxpic.twitter.com/f24w2UG1Yq
— Maria Drutska 🇺🇦 (@maria_drutska) January 24, 2024
A Ukrainian government body responsible for issues linked to prisoners of war said it was probing the Russian claims.
If verified, the incident would represent one of the single most deadly episodes of the full-scale conflict in weeks.
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CRASH CAME BEFORE PRISONER EXCHANGE
The defence ministry said the crash had come just hours ahead of an agreed prisoner exchange later in the day that was set to take place at a border crossing in Belgorod.
“The Ukrainian leadership was well aware that, in accordance with established practice, the Ukrainian servicemen to be exchanged would be transported by military transport aircraft to Belgorod aerodrome today,” it said.
Ukraine media initially cited defence sources claiming the Ukrainian army had downed the plane, and that it was carrying missiles.
The claim was later retracted, and Ukrainian rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, who is among officials responsible for prisoner exchanges, said his office was investigating.
KREMLIN INVESTIGATES CRASH
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment, saying news around the crash was still emerging and that authorities would “look into” the incident.
The head of Russian-state broadcaster RT published a list of captured Ukrainian servicemen allegedly on board.
The issue of prisoners of war is sensitive in both countries. Despite full-scale hostilities, the two sides have managed to carry out 49 prisoner exchanges since the conflict began almost two years ago.
Ukraine says more than 8,000 Ukrainians remain in Russian captivity, including civilians.
RUSSIA PUSHED BACK FROM KEY TOWN: MAYOR
Russian forces entered the war-battered town of Avdiivka for the first time but were pushed back following months of fierce fighting for the industrial hub in east Ukraine.
“Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups entered the southern part of the city of Avdiivka, but they were dislodged,” Avdiivka mayor Vitaliy Barabash said, without specifying how long Moscow’s forces had remained in the town.
BRITS SHOULD PREPARE FOR LAND WAR
British citizens should be prepared to fight in a potential land war, the highest ranking army officer General Patrick Sanders.
The chief of the general staff said any conflict would need to be a “whole-of-nation undertaking” and that citizens should be trained and equipped to be in a state of readiness.
The general’s remarks come after the UK defence ministry said last year that it would cut overall numbers in the UK’s professional army from 82,000 to 73,000 by 2025.
“Taking preparatory steps to enable placing our societies on a war footing when needed are now not merely desirable but essential,” Sanders said in a speech at an armoured vehicles conference in southwest London.
“Within the next three years, it must be credible to talk of a British Army of 120,000, folding in our reserve and strategic reserve.” Sanders, who steps down later this year, said the UK could not rely on its navy and air power, arguing that “we must be able to credibly fight and win wars on land”.
RUSSIA ATTACKS ‘ORDINARY PEOPLE’
Russian strikes in Ukraine killed at least 18 people and wounded 130, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, warning that the death toll could increase in Kyiv and Kharkiv as rescue efforts were ongoing.
“Unfortunately, 18 people died,” Mr Zelenskyy said in his evening address, adding that “130 people were wounded.”
He said the northeastern city of Kharkiv was particularly badly hit and said “the number of dead may increase.
Mr Zelenskyy said rubble from an “ordinary high-rise building” in Kharkiv was still being dismantled and search efforts were ongoing.
“Ordinary people lived here,” he said.
He said around 139 “ordinary houses” were damaged in the attack and that Russia had fired “more than 40 missiles” onto Ukraine.
He also warned of retaliation, saying: “Let them know over there, in Russia, that the Ukrainian character knows how to be sufficiently far-reaching in response.
“The Russian war will surely return home, to where this evil came from … Right there, in Russia,” he added.
US PLEDGES ‘UNWAVERING’ SUPPORT
It comes as the US pledged “unwavering” support to Ukraine as it fights Russia’s invasion, even as Congress remains deadlocked on aid.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen affirmed Washington’s stance in a virtual meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal, where she also “underscored the importance of Congress acting on financial support for Ukraine as quickly as possible,” according to a Treasury Department readout.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke via video link at the opening of a meeting on aid for Ukraine’s fight against invading Russian forces.
“The security of the entire international community is on the line in Ukraine’s fight. I am more determined than ever to work with our allies and partners to support Ukraine and to get the job done,” General Austin said.
UKRAINE SLAMS “INSUFFICIENT” WEAPONS SUPPLY
Western allies aren’t supplying Ukraine with enough ammunition and air-defence missiles, Ukraine’s foreign minister said in an interview with German media.
The Russian attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv “clearly show the need to provide more anti-air defence systems, as well as more surface-to-air missiles,” Dmytro Kuleba told Die Welt, Bild, Welt TV and Politico.
As for the ground war, “insufficient quantities of artillery munitions has been a problem from the start,” he said.
Mr Kuleba said he’s still in talks with the German government about receiving Taurus cruise missiles, even after the lower house of the German parliament voted a week ago against delivering them to Ukraine.
“We’ll never give up,” he said.
TURKEY RATIFIES SWEDEN’S NATO MEMBERSHIP
Turkey’s parliament has ratified Sweden’s NATO membership after more than a year of delays that upset Western efforts to show resolve in the face of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Politicians voted 287-55 in favour of the Nordic nation’s bid to become the 32nd member of the alliance after it won the public backing of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Turkish leader is expected to sign Sweden’s ratification document and conclude Ankara’s role in the protracted saga in the coming days.
Turkey’s green light leaves Hungary as the last holdout in an accession process that Sweden and Finland began in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly two years ago.
Ankara forced the northern neighbours to split up their applications after finding fault with Sweden and approving Finland after a few rounds of talks.
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Originally published as Ukraine War: Dozens of POWs killed in Russian plane fireball
Read related topics:Russia & Ukraine Conflict
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