Russian plane carrying 65 Ukrainian PoWs has crashed, Moscow says | BBC News

Summary

A Russian military transport plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war has crashed in southwest Russia. Video footage shows the plane erupting into a fireball. Russia claims Ukraine shot down the plane, but Ukraine has not confirmed or denied involvement. The plane was meant to carry out a prisoner exchange. With both sides pointing fingers, the facts remain uncertain. Officials are still working to verify who and what exactly was on board the downed plane.

Takeaways

• 😱 Russian military transport plane crashes in southwest Russia
• 👉🏻 Video shows plane falling from sky in fireball
• 😕 Conflicting reports on who was on board - Russia says Ukrainian prisoners of war, Ukraine denies
• 🤔 Russia claims Ukraine shot plane down, Ukraine denies accusation
• 🔍 Crash happened near Ukraine border, circumstances still unclear
• ❓ Questions remain about what plane was carrying and what caused crash
• 🚨 Incident seen as embarrassing for Russian military
• 👀 Attention focused on determining exact cargo and cause of crash
• ⚠️ AFP: Russian parliament speaker also accuses Ukraine of shooting plane down
• 🕵️‍♂️ More information needed to clarify confusing and contested situation

Q & A

What happened in the southwest of Russia?

A Russian military transport plane crashed in the southwest of Russia, specifically in the Belgorod region.

Who were the passengers on board the crashed Russian military plane?

The plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six members of the crew, and three people accompanying the prisoners.

What does the footage verified by BBC's team show about the plane crash?

The verified footage shows the plane crashing out of the sky and turning into a fireball upon hitting the ground in a village in the Belgorod region.

What are Russian officials claiming about the cause of the plane crash?

Russian officials are claiming that the plane was shot down by a missile fired by Ukraine.

What unconfirmed claims are being circulated in Ukrainian media regarding the plane's cargo?

There are unsourced claims in Ukrainian media suggesting that the plane was actually carrying missiles, but this information has not been confirmed.

Did any Ukrainian sources initially confirm their involvement in the crash?

A prominent Ukrainian website, Ukraine Pravda, initially quoted a Ukrainian military source confirming Ukraine's involvement in shooting down the Russian transport plane, but this claim was later removed.

What type of plane was involved in the crash?

The crashed plane was an IL-76, a large military transport aircraft used by Russia.

How did the Russian Defense Ministry respond to the incident?

The Russian Defense Ministry was unusually quick to release a statement about the crash, which is not typical for incidents that could be seen as embarrassing for the Russian military.

What evidence suggests the plane might have been shot down by a missile?

Videos circulating online show a puff of smoke in the sky, suggesting that the plane could have been hit by a missile.

What further information is being sought to understand the crash?

Investigations are ongoing to establish what the plane was carrying and what exactly brought it down, with evidence of debris scattered over hundreds of meters.

Outlines

00:00

😮 Russian military plane crashes in southwest Russia with 65 Ukrainian POWs

A Russian military transport plane crashed in southwest Russia with 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war on board. Russian officials claim Ukraine shot the plane down but Ukraine denies the accusation. Video shows the plane crash and subsequent fireball. The plane was an Il-76, which Russia uses to transport heavy cargo and personnel.

Keywords

💡Russian military transport plane

This term refers to a specific type of aircraft used by the Russian military for transporting personnel, equipment, and, as mentioned in the video, prisoners of war. The crash of such a plane is a significant event, highlighting both the operational risks involved in military logistics and the broader context of military tensions. In this instance, the plane in question, identified as the Il-76, crashed in the southwest of Russia, carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war, which adds a layer of international concern and potential diplomatic ramifications.

💡Ukrainian prisoners of war

This phrase describes individuals from Ukraine who have been captured by Russian forces during the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The mention of 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war being on board the crashed plane indicates the human element of military conflicts and raises questions about the treatment of prisoners, the conditions of their transport, and the intended purpose of their relocation. This aspect ties into international laws and norms regarding the treatment of prisoners of war.

💡BBC verify

This concept refers to the process by which the BBC, a reputable international news organization, confirms the authenticity of information or footage before broadcasting it to the public. In this case, the BBC verified footage of the plane crash, underscoring the importance of media outlets ensuring the accuracy of the information they disseminate, especially in the context of potentially sensitive or rapidly developing news stories.

💡Belgorod region

This geographical location in Russia is significant because it is where the military transport plane crashed. The proximity of the Belgorod region to the border with Ukraine adds a strategic dimension to the incident, suggesting potential security implications and highlighting the ongoing tensions between the two countries. The location of the crash could affect local communities and has broader geopolitical implications.

💡Missile

The reference to a missile in the context of the plane crash suggests the possibility of an intentional downing of the aircraft. This notion is supported by claims from Russian officials that Ukraine shot the plane down. The potential use of a missile to down the plane introduces a military aspect to the incident, indicating an act of aggression that could escalate tensions between Russia and Ukraine and possibly involve broader international concerns regarding the rules of engagement and acts of war.

💡Unsourced claims

This term refers to information or allegations that are circulated without attribution to a credible source. In the context of the video, unsourced claims about the plane carrying missiles highlight the challenges of navigating information during conflicts, where propaganda, misinformation, and the fog of war can obscure the truth. The presence of such claims underscores the difficulty in establishing facts and the importance of verification.

💡Russian defense ministry

This governmental department is responsible for overseeing Russia's national defense and military forces. Their quick response to the plane crash, as noted in the video, is unusual and indicates the sensitivity and potentially significant implications of the incident. The ministry's involvement and statements are crucial for understanding the official Russian perspective on the crash and its causes.

💡IL-76

The IL-76 is a heavy military transport aircraft used by the Russian Air Force, among others. Mention of the IL-76 in the context of the crash underlines the significance of the incident, given the aircraft's role in logistical operations and its capacity for carrying large loads, including personnel. The crash of such a substantial asset raises questions about operational security, the technical reliability of military equipment, and the circumstances leading to the incident.

💡AFP news agency

The Agence France-Presse (AFP) is a global news agency that provides fast, comprehensive, and verified coverage of the news. The reference to AFP putting out a statement regarding the Russian Parliament speaker's accusation against Ukraine illustrates the role of international media in disseminating information, perspectives, and developments in global events, contributing to the international community's understanding of incidents like the plane crash.

💡Transport plane

A transport plane is a type of aircraft designed to carry cargo, troops, and other goods as opposed to engaging in combat. The use of a transport plane to carry prisoners of war, as mentioned in the video, highlights its role in logistical support within military operations. The specifics of this incident, involving a large transport plane like the IL-76 carrying prisoners, underscores the logistical complexities and risks involved in military operations, especially in conflict zones.

Highlights

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Transcripts

I want to return to our breaking news

this hour which is that a Russian

military transport plane has crashed in

the southwest of the country now Russian

defense officials say 65 Ukrainian

prisoners of War were on board we cannot

as the BBC confirmed that this video

that you can see our team at BBC verify

has verified that this footage is of a

plane that crashed out of the sky into

as you could see there a fireball on the

ground in a village in the belgorod

region well B monitoring's Russia editor

Vitali shenko joins me now um Vitali

we've already been talking about claim

and counter claim as to who's on board

um missiles being shot what can you tell

us that we know at the moment about this

dramatic

incident in the video that's uh

circulating online and was apparently

shot by an eyewitness um it's it's

possible to see a puff of smoke in the

sky which may suggest that the plane uh

was shot down by a missile and in fact

this is what Russian officials are

claiming now they're saying that it's

Ukraine who shot the plane down and the

plane was carrying 65 65 Ukrainian

prisoners of War um that were U meant to

be exchanged later six members of crew

and three people accompanying uh the

prisoners of War now in Ukrainian media

uh there are unsourced claims which

means claims that do not come from a

named Source saying that uh the plane

was actually carrying missiles that

again we cannot confirm and one uh

prominent Ukrainian website called

Ukraine Pravda initially it

quoted uh a Ukrainian military source as

confirming that Ukraine shot the uh

Russian transport plane uh down but

later that claim was removed so it's a

fast moving story and all we know is

that this Russian transport plane called

The Ill 76 it's a pretty huge plane it

crashed in belg region which is right

next to the border with Ukraine the

Russian defense Ministry I have to say

it was unusually quick to come up with a

statement about the crash literally

hours later normally they take time to

comment on incidents that can be seen as

embarrassing for the Russian military

but this time they were really quick to

say it was carrying a Russian prisoners

a war officially Russia doesn't really

say uh that it was Ukraine that shut

down the plane it's members of

parliament for example making the claim

uh that's uh as much as we know yeah

while you've been talking fatali at the

AFP news agency has just put out a thing

saying that the Russian Parliament

speaker now has also accused ke of

shooting down the plane carrying

prisoners of War how usual or unusual

would it be for a transport plane that

size to be flying carrying if the

Russians claim is correct prisoners of

War um well this is the kind of plane

that Russia does use to carry uh heavy

uh loads sometimes it carries uh

personnel as well um recently a modified

version of uh the uh ill 76 which was a

basically a flying radar with a circular

huge circular dish top it also uh

crashed so this is uh the second recent

crash of of a plane of that size uh in

in Russia and um as as you say the BBC

has been able to verify the location of

the crash it there are pictures

circulating apparently showing debris on

the ground strewn for uh hundreds of

meters um so that much we cannot doubt

the plane did come down what we uh are

looking to establish is what exactly was

uh carrying and and what brought it down

but as I say in videos circulating

online it's possible to see a plume of

smoke uh in in the sky which suggests

that it could have been a missile okay

fali for the moment thank you very much

I'm sure we'll be back to you as you get

more information coming in on that crash

and a reminder that there is a special

live page up and running with the very

latest on the BBC News website or app