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Military operation in Ukraine

Efforts to bring Russian POWs home to go on despite deadly air crash, senior lawmaker vows

"We have no choice but to engage in a conversation," Andrey Kartapolov said

MOSCOW, January 25. /TASS/. Efforts to bring Russian prisoners of war home from Ukraine will continue, Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) Defense Committee, told reporters.

"We cannot leave our guys to their own devices. This is why we will hold conversations with the devil himself and work even with the Evil One because we need to get our guys back. We have no choice but to engage in a conversation," he said in response to a question.

The Ukrainian armed forces shot down a Russian Il-76 military cargo aircraft over the borderline Belgorod Region on January 24. The aircraft was carrying captive Ukrainian military personnel who had been slated to be exchanged in a prisoner swap at the Ukraine-Russia border. The crash killed all 74 people on board, including 65 Ukrainian POWs. The Russian Defense Ministry described the incident as a terrorist attack, pointing out that Kiev had been aware of the mission to transport Ukrainian POWs for a prisoner swap set to take place at the Kolotilovka checkpoint. However, Kiev attacked the plane in order to accuse Moscow of killing Ukrainian service members, the ministry noted.

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Military operation in Ukraine

Military operation in Ukraine

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Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, November 29th

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Putin concludes state visit to Kazakhstan

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Romania, Poland, Germany, UK plan to divide Ukraine — Russia's foreign intel

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Russia may block agenda of US Security Council presidency next month — mission to UN

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Kiev opposes Washington's demand for lowering draft age — media

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Russia sees no need to downgrade relations with Poland, ambassador says

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Putin declares Kazakhstan visit a success

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Syrian forces begin counteroffensive near Aleppo — TV

According to the report, the government forces have already liberated the town of El Bakoum

Russia not going to leave strikes deep inside country unanswered — Putin

"As I have repeatedly said, we will always respond," the president emphasized

Up to 200,000 deserters in Ukrainian army, Verkhovna Rada MP says

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Scholz shares details of talks with Putin, Zelensky says

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Russia winning in Ukrainian conflict, Polish national security chief says

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Russia’s SVR chief questions role of NATO membership for Finnish people

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Borrell calls for preventing consolidation of whole world against West

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