Ukraine has not confirmed or denied whether or not it shot down the aircraft.

Moscow:

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated a Russian navy aircraft that crashed close to the border with Ukraine on Wednesday was shot down by Ukrainian air defences, whether or not on goal or by mistake.

Moscow accuses Kyiv of downing the Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft in Russia’s Belgorod area and killing 74 individuals on board, together with 65 captured Ukrainian troopers en path to be swapped for Russian PoWs. It has not introduced proof.

Ukraine has not confirmed or denied whether or not it shot down the aircraft and has challenged Moscow’s account of who was on board and what occurred.

“I do not know in the event that they did it on goal or by mistake, however it’s apparent that they did it,” Putin stated in televised feedback, his first on the crash.

“In any case, what occurred is a criminal offense. Both via negligence or on goal, however in any case it’s a crime.”

Ukraine disputes Russia’s assertion that it was warned upfront {that a} aircraft carrying Ukrainian prisoners of battle can be flying over Russia’s southwestern Belgorod area at the moment. It has additionally stated there have been discrepancies in an inventory revealed by Russian media of the 65 Ukrainians alleged to have been on the plane.

Putin stated the aircraft couldn’t have been introduced down by Russian “pleasant fireplace” as a result of Russia’s air defence techniques have safeguards to stop them attacking their very own planes.

“There are ‘pal or foe’ techniques there, and irrespective of how a lot the operator presses the button, our air defence techniques wouldn’t work,” he stated.

Putin stated the missiles fired had been principally seemingly American or French, however this might be established with certainty in two to a few days.

(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)