Russia Accuses Ukrainian Commander of Downing Military Plane
(MENAFN) Russia’s Investigative Committee has accused Colonel Mykolai Dziaman, commander of Ukraine’s 138th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, of orchestrating the destruction of a military transport aircraft earlier this year.
The plane was reportedly transporting Ukrainian prisoners of war when it was shot down.
In a formal declaration, the committee stated that Dziaman was found directly accountable for the January 24 crash of an Il-76 aircraft near Russia’s Belgorod region, close to the Ukrainian frontier.
The commander has been indicted in absentia on terrorism charges and has been added to an international wanted registry, according to the statement.
Investigators allege that the aircraft was struck by a surface-to-air missile fired from a U.S.-supplied Patriot air defense system, which Moscow claims is operated by Dziaman’s 138th Brigade.
“Further investigation continues into identifying other accomplices involved in this crime, including senior military officials at the Ukrainian Defense Ministry,” the committee added.
There has not yet been any official response from Ukrainian authorities regarding the accusations put forth by Russia’s Investigative Committee.
The Russian military transport aircraft Il-76 was reportedly shot down in the Korochansky district of the Belgorod region.
All 74 individuals aboard were killed, including 65 Ukrainian POWs, six members of the flight crew, and three security personnel, according to Russian authorities.
Following the incident, Moscow immediately pointed to Kyiv as being responsible, stating that the prisoners were being transported for a planned exchange.
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