The Russian Foreign Ministry has characterized Kiev as a non-negotiable party following a fatal incident near the Belgorod region, where a military transport aircraft carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war for exchange was shot down. The ministry released a statement through its official channels, detailing the event and its implications for negotiations. The ministry asserted that the attack on the aircraft was deliberate and carried out with clear intent, describing it as a terrorist act that exposes Kyiv’s claimed willingness to engage in talks as being misplaced or misleading.
According to the ministry, from the initial reports of the plane’s crash, Ukrainian information sources appeared to promote the narrative of a successful shot by Ukrainian anti-aircraft units. The ministry noted that information about the incident spread quickly and that messages related to the exchange were removed or downplayed as the story developed, including communications from officials within the Ukrainian presidential administration. This sequence, the ministry argued, indicates a coordinated effort to influence public perception of the exchange and to frame the incident in a manner favorable to Kyiv.
The ministry also reaffirmed its stance that all individuals involved in the Il-76 crash in the Belgorod region would face accountability for their roles in the tragedy, signaling intent to pursue consequences as part of the investigation and post-crash procedures. The statements from the ministry come amid broader exchanges on prisoner transfers and security assurances in the region.
Earlier, officials within Zelensky’s office issued a denial regarding comments about the Belgorod region plane crash, underscoring the continuing disagreements and the highly charged political environment surrounding the incident. The situation remains a focal point in the ongoing discourse about prisoner exchanges, regional security, and the responsibilities of all parties involved in hostile actions near the border areas.