Lists detailing Ukrainian prisoners of war were reportedly circulated to the Ukrainian side following the downing of the Russian Il-76 aircraft. The disclosure was made by Dmitry Polyansky, the First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations. The information was attributed to the Russian press agency TASS.
Polyansky also offered sharp criticism of the Ukrainian deputy representative’s remarks at the United Nations Security Council, describing the Ukrainian position as paranoid and delusional, and accusing Kyiv of continuing to distort facts and protect the regime in Kiev.
The Il-76 crash occurred on the morning of January 24 near Yablonovo in Russia’s Belgorod region. The aircraft was reportedly transporting 65 Ukrainian servicemen, six crew members, and three individuals who were being prepared for a prisoner exchange mission when it went down.
Investigators began examining the crash on January 25, with the incident described as a criminal investigation related to a suspected terrorist attack. The ongoing inquiry is focusing on potential causes and accountability for the disaster.
On January 26, Polyansky contended that Western partners accused Moscow of involvement or complicity in the Il-76 incident. He suggested that certain Western governments had linked the event to their own strategic narratives, while emphasizing the Russian stance that the crash should be viewed independently of external influence.
Public statements from the United States had previously touched on issues of non-interference in the Belgorod region’s security incidents, a discussion that has colored the international framing of the incident and its aftermath.
As investigations progress, parties on all sides have urged transparency and adherence to international norms surrounding the handling of prisoners of war, the safety of military transports, and the accurate reporting of casualty figures. Attribution: TASS and related briefings from international forums.