IL-76 сrash: Human Rights Commissioner reveals Russia's list includes previously exchanged fighters

Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets shared the information, according to SkyNews.

He noted that the list of Ukrainian prisoners of war who were allegedly on board the crashed IL-76 aircraft, which was circulated in the Russian media, contains discrepancies.

"Yes, we found Ukrainian citizens on the list who had been exchanged before," Lubinets said.

What is known about the downing of the IL-76 in Russia

On Wednesday, January 24, a Russian military transport plane IL-76 crashed in the Korocha district of Belgorod region.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the plane was allegedly carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war who were being transported to the Belgorod region for exchange.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council because of the downing of the plane, which Moscow accused Ukraine of shooting down. France rejected the request. 

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces emphasized that the Defense Forces control the airspace and monitor missile launch sites and logistics, especially with the use of military transport aircraft, and will continue to take measures to destroy delivery vehicles.

The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry confirmed that a prisoner exchange was to take place on January 24. The Intelligence noted that it does not currently have reliable and comprehensive information about who was on board the plane and in what quantity. 

White House National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby said that the United States could not confirm the presence of Ukrainian prisoners in the Russian IL-76. 

On January 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would insist on an international investigation into the downing of the IL-76 military transport plane in Russia.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin does not oppose an international investigation, but only if the plane incident is investigated as a crime by Kyiv. He continued to insist that the Ukrainian Armed Forces shot down the plane carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war who were preparing for an exchange.

Earlier, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets appealed to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the downing of the IL-76 military aircraft in Russia. He also emphasized that there are no signs that there were a large number of people on the plane.