Possibility of Prisoners of War on Russian Aircraft Crash Not Dismissed by Ukrainian Intelligence

A Ukrainian defense intelligence representative has stated that it is possible that there were Ukrainian prisoners aboard the Russian military plane that crashed in Belgorod. However, he emphasized that Russia has provided no evidence to support its claims. The representative noted that there is limited information regarding the presence of prisoners of war and accused Russia of hiding information and only making political and propagandist statements. Russia claims that 65 Ukrainian prisoners died in the plane crash, and they released a video showing the wreckage and a blackened area of the ground. The Ukrainian representative did not confirm or deny whether Ukraine shot down the plane but mentioned that both sides were using drones in the area. He suggested that a friendly fire incident by Russia hitting its own plane was a possible scenario that needed investigation. He stressed the importance of an international investigation to rule out all possibilities and recommended full access to the crash site and any plane fragments or missiles. The representative also mentioned that the specific aircraft that crashed had previously been used to transport ammunition and missiles to the Belgorod region, but this information has not been verified. The missiles mentioned are known to be used in deadly strikes on Ukraine. The representative added that it is possible the plane was carrying both people and ammunition. He refuted Russia's claim of warning Ukraine about bringing prisoners of war via military plane to Belgorod and stated that they usually communicate about routes for prisoner swaps. Finally, the Ukrainian Air Forces chief asserted that Ukraine has the right to defend itself against Russian attacks and will continue to do so.