The New York Times: Il-76 was shot down by a Patriot missile
World
The New York Times has reported that the IL-76 aircraft that crashed in the Belgorod Region was shot down by a Patriot missile. It is still unknown whether there were Ukrainian prisoners of war on board.
The New York Times quoted unnamed US officials as saying that the Il-76 military transport plane that crashed in Belgorod Region on 24 January was shot down by a missile fired from a Patriot surface-to-air missile system.
According to the material published on 8 February, the interceptor missile was supplied to Ukraine by a European partner.
American officials will not comment publicly on the causes of the crash, the authors of the publication warned, but according to journalists, officials who spoke to them privately on condition of anonymity said that the reports about the use of the Patriot missile were true.
At the same time, the question of whether Ukrainian prisoners of war were on board is still unclear, the publication said. Russian authorities claimed after the crash that the plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war for exchange. At the same time, US and Ukrainian officials noted that the Russian Federation might have exaggerated the number of the dead.
The report said that the aircraft had previously been used to transport missiles, making it an important target for Kiev. In January, believing that the Il-76 was loaded with missiles, the Ukrainians ambushed it.
Moreover, it is reported that on 13 May, the Ukrainians brought a Patriot launcher to an area near the border with Russia and shot down five Russian aircraft. Ukraine then secretly moved the Patriot system to the south, where it was used to shoot down a Russian Su-35 fighter jet over the Black Sea.
According to the material published on 8 February, the interceptor missile was supplied to Ukraine by a European partner.
American officials will not comment publicly on the causes of the crash, the authors of the publication warned, but according to journalists, officials who spoke to them privately on condition of anonymity said that the reports about the use of the Patriot missile were true.
At the same time, the question of whether Ukrainian prisoners of war were on board is still unclear, the publication said. Russian authorities claimed after the crash that the plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war for exchange. At the same time, US and Ukrainian officials noted that the Russian Federation might have exaggerated the number of the dead.
The report said that the aircraft had previously been used to transport missiles, making it an important target for Kiev. In January, believing that the Il-76 was loaded with missiles, the Ukrainians ambushed it.
Moreover, it is reported that on 13 May, the Ukrainians brought a Patriot launcher to an area near the border with Russia and shot down five Russian aircraft. Ukraine then secretly moved the Patriot system to the south, where it was used to shoot down a Russian Su-35 fighter jet over the Black Sea.
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