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Putin: Il-76 was downed by US or French air defenses, experts to prove it by next week

"A clear-cut answer to this issue will be voiced in two-three days," the Russian president noted

SAINT PETERSBURG, January 26. /TASS/. A special expert group will reveal in 2-3 days results of its investigation into the crash Russia’s Il-76 transport military aircraft which was allegedly downed by the Ukrainian military, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

"All fragments that could have caused the [fatal] destruction have been recovered from the scene. They point to the fact that the aircraft was shot down by an air-defense rocket," Putin said.

"This incident should be either attributed to their poor [Air Defense] training or their incompetence of handling such systems," the Russian president said. "Most likely the strike was delivered by a US system Patriot system but even more likely by a French-made air-defense system."

"A clear-cut answer to this issue will be voiced in two-three days," the Russian president added.

A Russian military transport Il-76 plane carrying 74 people, including 65 Ukrainian captives, who were supposed to be exchanged in a prisoner swap, was shot down by Ukrainian troops over Russia’s Belgorod Region bordering Ukraine on January 24.

All those who were aboard died. The Russian defense ministry described the incident as a terror attack. According to the ministry, Kiev was aware that the plane was carrying prisoners who were to be exchanged at the Kolotilovka checkpoint and the attack on the plane was geared to accuse Russia of killing Ukrainian soldiers.

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