White House Makes First Statement About Crash Of Il-76 Near Belgorod

The U.S. has questioned the Russian version.

The US cannot confirm the information that there were Ukrainian prisoners of war on board the IL-76 aircraft that crashed in Belgorod region of Russian Federation.

This was said by John Kirby, coordinator of strategic communications in the US National Security Council at the White House, at a briefing on January 24.

"We've seen those reports, but we can't confirm them", Kirby said when asked about the crash of the Russian plane.

Journalists also asked the White House spokesman whether the Russian side's claim that there were Ukrainian prisoners of war on board the Il-76 could be true.

"Again, we just don't have enough information to comment on this plane crash. We've -- we've seen reports about it. We're trying to get more information," the speaker said.

Kirby emphasised that it would be "imprudent" on his part to speculate on the subject, as he has no evidence that the Russians' claims are true.

"You know, the Ukrainians claim one thing. The Russians claim another. And we just don't know enough to comment on it," he explained.

We remind you, on January 24, Russian media reported that the Il-76 military transport plane crashed in Belgorod region of the Russian Federation. It was reported that the Russian aircraft could have fallen in the area of the Krivoy farm.

Later, the Russian mass media said, citing the Russian Defence Ministry, that 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war could have been on board the downed IL-76, who were allegedly being transported for exchange.

In a commentary to the mass media, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Andriy Yusov, said that Ukraine was indeed planning a prisoner exchange with Russia on January 24. According to him, the information voiced by the Russian side that the prisoners of war could have been in the Il-76 aircraft that crashed near Belhorod is being checked now.

In his turn, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv would insist on an international investigation into the crash of the IL-76. The head of state said that the SSU was investigating all the circumstances of the incident, while the MID was working to find out the fate of all the captives.