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Missile that hit Russia’s Il-76 was fired from Kharkov Region — Investigative Committee

The investigators also noted to the materials of the criminal case the IDs of the Ukrainian servicemen killed in the crash, as well as accompanying documents of Russia’s federal penitentiary service

MOSCOW, January 26. /TASS/. Russia’s Investigative Committee has found that the anti-aircraft missile that hit the Ilyushin-76 transport plane over the Belgorod Region was launched from the village of Liptsy in Kharkov Region.

"Radar means of objective control of airspace, as well as investigation have established that the anti-aircraft missile weapon, from which the military transport plane was hit, was located in the village of Liptsy, the Kharkov Region," the IC said on its Telegram channel.

The investigators also added to the materials of the criminal case the IDs of the Ukrainian servicemen killed in the crash, as well as accompanying documents of Russia’s federal penitentiary service.

"There are characteristic tattoos on some body fragments. Similar signs and emblems were seen on the bodies of many members of Ukrainian armed groups, including the Azov regiment [banned in Russia and recognized as terrorist], who were earlier questioned in connection with criminal cases," IC added.

On January 24, the Ukrainian military shot down a Russian Ilyushin-76 military transport plane carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war for exchange over the territory of Belgorod Region. There were 74 people on board, including 65 Ukrainian POWs. Nobody survived. The Russian Defense Ministry called what happened a terrorist act and stressed that Kiev had prior knowledge of the transportation of POWs for the exchange, which was to take place at the Kolotilovka border checkpoint, and attacked the plane in order to eventually blame the attack on Moscow.