DIU confirms Russian propaganda list with names of 65 Ukrainian prisoners: no evidence of their deaths

The DIU confirmed that 65 Ukrainian captured defenders from the list previously published on Russian propaganda resources were indeed planned to be returned to Ukraine as part of the planned exchange on January 24. However, there is currently no true evidence of their deaths in the crash of the Il-76M aircraft.

This was reported by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. According to the head of the headquarters, Kyrylo Budanov, the Russian propaganda version of the death of the prisoners still raises many questions.

"We are collecting and carefully analyzing all available information on this matter from many sources. Currently, there is no information that would indicate that there could have been that many people on that plane. At the same time, the version of Russian propaganda that the said Il-76M could have transported 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war for exchange still raises many questions," Budanov said.

It is noted that relatives of Ukrainian defenders who allegedly could have been on board the IL-76 plane that crashed in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation watched the video from the crash site, which was distributed by Russian propagandists. In the footage showing fragments of bodies, they found no specific signs that would indicate their relatives.

The representatives of the Coordination Center emphasized that the families of the prisoners of war will be informed about the fate of their relatives as soon as the authorized bodies have clear and verified information on this issue.

As a reminder, on the morning of January 24, an Il-76 military transport plane crashed in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation. Immediately after the crash, Russian propagandists began to actively disseminate a statement by the Russian Defense Ministry that there were allegedly Ukrainian prisoners of war on the plane.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, the DIU confirmed that another prisoner exchange was to take place between Ukraine and Russia on January 24, and the Ukrainian side had fulfilled all the agreements. The security of Ukrainian prisoners was to be ensured by the Russian side, they said.

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