Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that a Russian military plane that fell near the Ukrainian border on Wednesday was shot down by Ukrainian air defences, either on purpose or by mistake.
Moscow accuses Kyiv of downing an Ilyushin Il-76 airliner in Russia’s Belgorod region, killing 74 persons on board, including 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers who were on their way to be exchanged for Russian prisoners of war. It hasn’t provided proof.
Ukraine has not confirmed or denied shooting down the airliner, and it has contested Moscow’s description of who was on board and what happened.
