Experts have identified nearly 50 individuals claimed by Russia to be deceased from the Il-76 incident.
Forensic examination has confirmed the identities of individuals that Russia claimed had died in the Il-76 plane crash in the Belgorod region. The DNA of the transferred remains matches the DNA of relatives who contacted the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. This was reported by the head of the Secretariat of the Headquarters, Bohdan Okhrimenko, in an interview with “Ukrinform”.
“From families contacting the Coordination Headquarters, we are aware of nearly 50 preliminary matches of remains handed over by the Russians with the DNA of relatives,” – quotes “Ukrinform” Bohdan Okhrimenko.
However, Bohdan Okhrimenko noted that Ukraine has not received any evidence that these individuals were indeed on board the aircraft. An investigation conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is currently ongoing.
As reported by ZAXID.NET, on November 29, 2024, it became known that Ukraine returned the bodies of 502 deceased servicemen. On December 9, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova stated that Russia allegedly handed over to Ukraine the bodies of 62 individuals who died in the Il-76 crash in the Belgorod region, identified as Ukrainian prisoners of war. On the same day, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets and the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War announced that Ukraine is conducting additional identification of these bodies.
Il-76 Plane Crash
The Il-76 aircraft crashed in the Belgorod region on January 24, 2024. According to Ukrainian intelligence, it was transporting Russian missiles for the S-300 air defense system. Meanwhile, the Russians claimed that 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war were allegedly on board the plane, supposedly being transported for exchange with Ukraine. The Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) confirmed that an exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine was indeed planned for January 24, but it did not take place. On the same day, HUR suggested that the Russians may have deliberately put Ukrainian prisoners of war in danger. The intelligence emphasized that the Ukrainian side fulfilled all agreements regarding the preparation for the exchange and delivered the captured Russians to a safe location but did not receive any information about the transportation of Ukrainian prisoners of war.
On March 1, Russia announced its readiness to transfer to Ukraine the bodies of prisoners of war who were allegedly on board the Il-76 aircraft, but this never occurred.