Kremlin alleges US Patriot missile downed plane carrying Ukrainian POWs

Russian President Vladimir Putin claims a US-made Patriot missile shot down a Russian Il-76 cargo plane on January 24, carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war

President Vladimir Putin of Russia in a televised appearance on Wednesday stated that a US-made Patriot missile had shot down a Russian Il-76 cargo plane on January 24. Moscow claims that the plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war.

Putin made a specific attribution to the downing of the plane, as well as to the fact that the plane had been shot down by the American Patriot system, which had been established by forensics.

Kyiv and Washington have failed to issue an immediate reaction to the Russian leader’s allegations, but Ukrainian representatives have never categorically rejected the Russian version of events. Alternatively, they have cast doubt over the real existence of Ukrainian POWs on the flight.

The Kremlin stressed that Russia was firm on an international inquiry into the incident. He, however, observed that ‘there are no international organizations willing’ to join the inquiry. His Ukrainian counterpart  Volodymyr Zelensky has also spoken about the international investigation while expressing some concerns regarding Russia’s control over the territory of the crash site, which could hinder the inquiry.

Patriot missiles are often associated with guided surface-to-air ability; however, they are also capable of attacking enemy aircraft and intercepting incoming missiles. By the end of 2022, the United States had consented to provide Ukraine with Patriot missile systems, which Kyiv requested for a long time. The consequences of Putin’s claim and the succeeding investigation are still unpredictable as tensions continue to prevail in the region.

Source: AFP