TOKYO, January 26. /TASS/. Japan is monitoring the investigation into Wednesday’s downing of a Russian Il-76 military plane by the Ukrainian armed forces, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said at a news conference.

"As we understand it, information about this incident is still being collected, including by Russia. As the government of Japan, we will closely monitor developments surrounding this case, including as regards an international probe," Japan’s top diplomat told reporters. At the same time, she has said that Russia is somehow responsible for the situation around the downing of the aircraft as long as it continues its special military operation in Ukraine.

On January 24, the Ukrainian armed forces shot down a Russian Il-76 military transport plane that was carrying captured Ukrainian troops selected to be included in a prisoner exchange. There were 74 people on board, including 65 Ukrainian military personnel, all of whom were killed. The Russian Defense Ministry called what happened a terrorist act and stressed that Kiev knew about the transportation of prisoners for the exchange, which was to take place at the Kolotilovka checkpoint, and purposely attacked the plane in order to accuse Moscow of destroying Ukrainian military personnel.

Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Dmitry Polyansky called upon members of the UN Security Council to condemn Ukraine’s downing of Russia’s Il-76 plane as he described the crash as a deliberate and calculated crime by the Kiev regime.