Fall Il-76: RF Aircraft is a legitimate military goal-Ukraine in the UN

This was stated by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine at the United Nations Christina Gayovyshyn at a meeting of the UN Security Council on January 25. Gayovyshyn noted that recently Russian invaders have intensified shelling of Kharkiv region, which led to human casualties. According to her, these attacks are associated with an increase in the number of military transport aircraft, including IL-76, which have been arriving in Belgorod recently.

The Deputy Post of Ukraine at the UN reminded that such planes are a legitimate military goal. In this regard, the Armed Forces will continue to take measures to destroy them to prevent terrorist attacks by the Russian Federation. Gayovyshyn also mentioned that on January 24, prisoners were exchanged between Ukraine and Russia. She stressed that the Ukrainian side ensured the safety of Russian prisoners and brought them to the place of exchange in a timely manner.

At the same time, Russia, according to Gayovyshyn, did not inform Kiev about the number of vehicles, routes and ways of transportation of prisoners. Moscow also did not warn the need to observe the safety of aircraft near Belgorod in a certain period, as they have repeatedly done earlier. According to the Deputy Post, such actions by the Russian Federation may testify to the deliberate creation of a threat to the life and safety of prisoners.

"If the information that the Ukrainian prisoners of war was on board will be confirmed, this will be the first case of Russia's use of a live shield in the air to cover the transportation of missiles for their further use against peaceful Ukrainian cities," Gayovyshyn said. We will remind, on January 24 the media reported that in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation the Russian aircraft Il-76 fell.

Russian journalists stated with reference to the Russian Defense Ministry that Ukrainian prisoners of war were allegedly carried on exchange. For his part, the representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Yusov noted that Il-76, who fell in the Belgorod region, previously delivered weapons to Russian soldiers.

In addition, Yusov reported that after the fall of Il-76, only five bodies were sent to the morgue of Belgorod, and representatives of the FSB and the Russian military did not allow Russian Ministry of Emergencies to inspect the scene of the accident. The Institute of War Study (ISW) also indicated that the comments of Russian officials on falling in the Belgorod region of the IL-76 aircraft are consistent with some other Russian information efforts aimed at internal weakening of Ukraine.