The UN cannot establish the facts of the stay of Ukrainian prisoners on board the Il-76, which crashed in the Russian Belgorod area in the morning of January 24.
The UN does not confirm the Ukraine's POW presence on the Il-76 aboard
According to UN Deputy Secretary General Rosemary Dicarlo, it has not been possible to establish the whereabouts of Ukrainian prisoners on board the Il-76, which crashed near Belgorod.
DiCarlo emphasised that the Russian authorities insisted that 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six Russian crew members and three Russian servicemen were on board the plane.
At the same time, the UN deputy secretary general noted that according to the information of the Ukrainian special services and intelligence, the plane could carry missiles and other weapons.
Dicarlo also added that representatives of Ukraine are calling for an international investigation.
The UN is unable to verify these reports or the circumstances of the disaster. It is obvious that the incident happened in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war, she said.
Dicarlo reminded that in recent days, the criminal army of the Russian Federation has increased the scale and intensity of attacks in Ukraine, which indicates a dangerous escalation of the situation.
She expressed concern about rocket attacks and shelling of civilian areas, resulting in the death and injury of civilians, as well as the destruction of critical infrastructure.
What they say in the permanent representation of Ukraine at the UN
According to the Deputy Ambassador of Ukraine to the UN, Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, the military transport aircraft of the aggressor country, Russia, is an entirely legal target for the Ukrainian military.
Hayovyshyn emphasised that in recent days, Russia has significantly increased the number of strikes on Kharkiv and the region.
She connects the increase in attacks in the Kharkiv region with the activation of the military transport aviation of the Russian Federation in the Belgorod area.
In view of the situation, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will continue to take measures to destroy means of delivery, as well as control the airspace to eliminate the terrorist threat, in particular in the Belgorod — Kharkiv direction. Let me remind you that according to the laws of warfare, military transport aircraft of the armed forces of the Russian Federation are a legitimate military target, — emphasizes the Deputy of Ukraine's representative to the UN.
Hayovyshyn reminded that the exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and the Russian Federation was supposed to occur on January 24.
According to her, the Ukrainian side fulfilled its obligations — the Russian prisoners of war were timely delivered to the agreed place and were safely waiting for the exchange.
Russia had to guarantee the same level of security for captured servicemen of Ukraine. At the same time, the Ukrainian side was not informed about the need to observe the safety of the airspace near Belgorod in a certain period, as it was repeatedly done in the past, — Hayovyshyn emphasised.
She also noted that Ukraine was not informed about the number of vehicles, routes, and transportation methods prisoners use.
She added that this may already indicate deliberate actions by Russia to create a threat to the lives and safety of prisoners.
If the information that there were Ukrainian prisoners of war on board the plane is confirmed, this will be the first case of Russia using a human shield in the air to cover the transportation of missiles for their further use against peaceful Ukrainian cities, — emphasises the Deputy of Ukraine's representative to the UN.
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