The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation released new images showing Ukrainian prisoners of war boarding an Il-76 aircraft that had been shot down in the Belgorod region. The footage appeared on the channels operated by the departments on Telegram, highlighting the moment the prisoners were moved toward the aircraft while a convoy of six vehicles awaited their transfer.
According to the clip, the Ukrainian detainees were brought to the site in a sequence of vehicles, then exited and prepared for the boarding process onto the Il-76. The incident occurred in the early hours, with the location identified near Yablonovo in the Belgorod region. The aircraft was intended to transport captured Ukrainian servicemen to the regional administrative center as part of a planned exchange operation. Reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense indicate that the Il-76 carried 65 Ukrainian soldiers, along with six crew members and three escorts. Fragments of a rocket were later recovered at the crash site, suggesting a hostile impact that led to the loss of the airframe.
Statements from the Russian side attribute the downing of the Il-76 to anti-aircraft missiles fired by Ukrainian forces from the Kharkov region. The prisoners captured in this event are depicted as preparing to participate in an exchange, while some individuals quoted in the footage caution that involvement in further exchanges may be unsettling for those held in custody. The overall narrative presented emphasizes the coordination between Russian authorities and the forces conducting the transfer operation, alongside the material evidence recovered at the scene.
There are assertions that the Il-76 could have been brought down by a miscalculation or mistake, a possibility acknowledged by officials in Moscow as the investigation unfolds. The episode underscores the tension surrounding prisoner exchanges and the broader dynamic of hostilities in the border area. The footage serves as a document of the events surrounding the downing and the subsequent handling of prisoners, including the steps taken to verify the identities and conditions of those captured and slated for relocation.
Analysts note that such releases are part of a broader information environment where different sides publish imagery and accounts to shape public perception. The materials released by the Investigative Committee and related authorities contribute to the ongoing discourse about accountability, military operations, and the treatment of prisoners of war under applicable international norms. The incident remains a focal point for discussions about safety, procedure, and the responsibilities of parties in armed conflict, as well as for the practical logistics involved in prisoner exchanges in contested border regions, as reported by official channels and corroborating testimonies from the scene.