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Russian Investigative Committee releases video of Ukrainians boarding Il-76 plane

The video, which was posted on the Investigative Committee’s Telegram channel, features a convoy of six buses transporting Ukrainian prisoners of war for a potential swap, approaching the Il-76

MOSCOW, January 26. /TASS/. Russia’s Investigative Committee has released a video of Ukrainian captives boarding the ill-fated Russian Il-76 plane that was later shot down by Ukrainian troops in the Belgorod Region.

The video, which was posted on the Investigative Committee’s Telegram channel, features a convoy of six buses transporting Ukrainian prisoners of war for a potential swap, approaching the Il-76. The Ukrainian captives exited the buses and climbed into the plane.

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.

The Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal case on charges of a terror attack (article 205 of the Russian Criminal Code). Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier on Friday that he would ask the Investigative Committee to make public everything it knew about the accident so that people in Ukraine could learn what had really happened.