Russia has not shown readiness to hand over the bodies of prisoners who were allegedly on board the IL-76 that crashed over the Belgorod region on January 24.
Russia could use prisoners as human shields
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) speaker, Andriy Yusov, informed Suspilne.
That our prisoners were there is Russia's statement, and so far we can analyze only from their words. Currently, there is no readiness to transfer bodies from that side. Nevertheless, from our side, such work continues. If the worst comes to pass, we will do everything possible to take away our defenders with or on the shield, he said.
Yusov said there was a possibility that the plane was carrying ammunition and prisoners who were being used as human shields.
According to him, Russia's reaction and the disaster's circumstances were provocative because a regime of silence was not announced over Belgorod. At the same time, the Russian Federation did not disclose in advance that it would transport the prisoners by plane.
Taking into account that the plane was loaded to a third, according to their version, there could be supplies there, because that is what this plane was mainly used for. There could be ammunition and people there — it could be like a human shield, so it should be carefully investigated. The work is ongoing in this direction, the DIU speaker emphasised.
The Il-76 crash in the Belgorod region: what is known
On January 24, an Il-76 military transport plane crashed in the Korochan district of the Belgorod region of Russia.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that there were allegedly 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war on board who were being taken for exchange. The DIU confirmed that an exchange was being prepared that day.
TheDIU chief, Leut Gen Kyrylo Budanov, said there is currently no reliable and comprehensive information about who could be on board.
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