During a plenary session, the State Duma accepted a formal appeal to the United States Congress concerning the downing of a Russian Il-76 military aircraft in what officials characterized as a terrorist attack. The update was conveyed by TASS at the time.
The lawmakers urged Congressional members to reevaluate support for Ukraine and to pursue accountability for those directly responsible for the attack. The Parliamentary Committee on International Relations submitted the draft for consideration, with Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the lower house, assigned to prepare the appeal.
The document asserts that authorities determined the Il-76 crash resulted from a terrorist act allegedly carried out by Ukrainian forces. It notes that Ukrainian prisoners of war were aboard, en route to a previously agreed exchange, at the time of the incident.
Lawmakers indicate the strike occurred near Liptsy in the Kharkov region, purportedly using a Patriot anti-aircraft system manufactured in the United States.
The Il-76 was reported to have crashed in the Korochansky district of the Belgorod region around 11:00 Moscow time on January 24. The aircraft carried 65 captured Ukrainian service members, six crew members, and three escorts, who were traveling to an exchange site.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the plane was downed by anti-aircraft missiles launched by Ukrainian forces from the Kharkov region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for an international investigation into the Il-76 incident.
Later, President Vladimir Putin reiterated that the Il-76 was brought down by the Patriot system.
The account also references the final communications from the flight technician aboard the crashed Il-76, reflecting the human element amid the broader events discussed by lawmakers.