A Russian aircraft transporting Ukrainian prisoners of war is seen crashing in Syria.
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It has been alleged that Vladimir Putin utilized Ukrainian prisoners of war as human shields while aboard a Russian military plane that was shot down.
Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, the deputy ambassador for Ukraine at the United Nations, stated that if it is proven that PoWs were on board, it would be the initial instance of Russia employing human shields on airplanes to conceal the transportation of weapons.
She stated that Russia may have deliberately endangered the prisoners’ lives and safety by not disclosing the number of vehicles, roads, and means of transportation for the captives to Ukraine.
Following Kyiv’s launch of a criminal investigation into the Russian military plane crash, Moscow made accusations against Ukraine for causing the incident. The aircraft was reportedly carrying 65 prisoners of war.
Kyiv did not explicitly acknowledge responsibility for the downing of the Ilyushin Il-76 military transport aircraft near the Russian city of Belgorod on Wednesday, near the Ukrainian border. There was no confirmation that any Ukrainian prisoners were among those on board.
In other locations, during the night, missile strikes from Russia caused injury to seven individuals and harmed a nursery and school in two Ukrainian cities.
The country of Russia claims to have discovered identification cards and tattooed body parts at the site of the plane crash in Ukraine.
On Friday, Russia announced that they retrieved Ukrainian identification documents and tattooed body parts from the location where a Russian military plane, believed to be carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war, crashed near the Ukrainian border two days prior.
The city of Moscow accuses Kyiv of shooting down a plane, the Ilyushin Il-76, in the Belgorod region of Russia. The incident resulted in the death of 74 individuals, including 65 Ukrainian soldiers who were being transported to exchange for Russian prisoners of war.
The Ukrainian government has not stated whether or not their military was responsible for shooting down the plane. They have also stated that there is no evidence of who was on the plane. The government has questioned the accuracy of Russia’s report and has requested a global investigation into the incident.
The Russian state Investigative Committee reported that they were gathering and taking body parts for genetic testing. Some of these body parts had recognizable tattoos similar to those worn by Ukrainian prisoners who were previously interrogated by Russia.
The report stated that the evidence gathered included proof of the identities of Ukrainian soldiers who perished in the tragedy, as well as supporting documents from the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service.
Only Russia has the ability to reach the location of the accident. Reuters was unable to confirm on its own the details of the event and the evidence that was retrieved. The Investigative Committee stated on Thursday that initial investigations suggest that the aircraft was hit by a missile launched from Ukraine.
The UK’s No 10 defends their defense spending after the US navy chief urges them to reconsider.
The UK Government has defended their spending on defense, despite a high-ranking US military official suggesting that Britain should reconsider the size of its armed forces.
According to Carlos Del Toro, the secretary of the United States Navy, it is crucial for democratic nations to maintain their defense investments in light of various emerging dangers worldwide.
Multiple sources state that Mr. Del Toro spoke to journalists following a presentation at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) in London, expressing the belief that it is crucial for the United Kingdom to reevaluate their current state in light of existing threats.
According to a former NATO leader, assuming that Putin is eagerly anticipating Trump’s presidency is a miscalculation.
A former general-secretary of Nato has stated that Vladimir Putin’s tactic of waiting for Donald Trump to regain the White House is yet another mistake made by the Kremlin.
Lord Robertson, a previous UK defense secretary, stated that even though Mr Trump’s language may appear friendly towards Russia, he actually strengthened American defenses and contributions to NATO during his presidency.
During a trip to the UK, a Labour representative mentioned that even Republican members of the US congress believe that Mr. Putin’s proposal is flawed.
Lord Robertson addressed the House of Lords, stating that currently there has been no significant progress from Russia. It seems that Putin’s only course of action is to bide his time until the election of Donald Trump, whom he hopes will make a questionable agreement to bring an end to the war.
However, that approach, if it can even be referred to as such, is inaccurate.
Republican representatives from the US Congress visited and expressed their strong belief that the use of the military fund is a flawed strategy.
During his time in office, President Trump, despite his words, authorized the deployment of missiles to Poland, raised funding for NATO, and significantly boosted the strength of the US military.
As a result, it appears to be another mistake by the Kremlin.
A 27-year sentence has been given to a Russian woman for her involvement in a fatal bombing at a cafe.
A female from Russia has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for delivering a bomb that detonated in the possession of a pro-war blogger in the military, causing his immediate death.
Darya Trepova, a 26-year-old, was found guilty by a court in St. Petersburg of various crimes, including terrorism, related to the killing of blogger Vladlen Tatarsky (also known as Maxim Fomin) in April of last year. Trepova denied the charges, stating that she believed the statue she was given contained a listening device and that she was following orders from a Ukrainian contact who set her up.
During a presentation at a cafe in St Petersburg, Tatarsky was fatally injured by a bomb hidden within a statue resembling himself, which had been given to him as a gift by Trepova.
British citizens may be required to serve in the military if the United Kingdom enters into a conflict with Russia, according to a high-ranking army official’s warning.
The leader of the army has cautioned that Britain needs to be ready to create a large “citizen army” if a war breaks out with nations like Russia. This was stated as a concerning intervention.
At a conference about armoured warfare in southwest London, General Sanders stated that in three years, the British army should have a total of 120,000 members. This includes active soldiers, reserves, and a “strategic reserve” group, which is believed to consist of retired soldiers who have been called back to duty.
Russian authorities have determined that the military aircraft was shot down by a missile launched from Ukraine.
On Thursday, the Investigative Committee of Russia, responsible for handling major criminal cases, stated that the military transportation aircraft, Il-76, that was brought down in the Belgorod region on Wednesday, was hit by a surface-to-air missile launched from Ukraine.
According to a message posted on Telegram, authorities have stated that their initial finding suggests that the Il-76 was struck by an anti-aircraft missile. As a result, a criminal investigation has been launched into the incident.
On Wednesday, Russia announced that the aircraft held 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war who were planned to be traded for Russian prisoners. Ukraine has not verified the prisoners’ presence on the plane.
The crash location of the Ilyushin Il-76 military transport plane in Russia is visible in the view.
Ukraine extends an invitation to China’s President Xi to attend a “peace summit.”
The top diplomatic advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has announced that Ukraine has extended an invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend a “peace summit” in Switzerland. This event is being planned as the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion approaches.
China has strong connections with Russia and has chosen not to condemn their invasion of Ukraine. However, China has also stated the importance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations and has proposed to assist in finding a resolution to the conflict.
According to an interview this week, adviser Ihor Zhovkva stated that we are extending an invitation to China to attend the summit at the highest level, with the President of the People’s Republic of China in attendance.
The involvement of China is crucial to us. We are collaborating with the Chinese government and reaching out to our global partners to emphasize the significance of their participation in this summit.
In Beijing, just three weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, China’s Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced an unrestricted partnership. As a result, China has substantially raised its imports of Russian energy.
Concerns arise among Ukrainians following plane crash, fearing an end to prisoner exchanges with Russia.
Russia and Ukraine are both blaming each other for the recent crash of a Russian military transport plane. However, one thing is certain: families are worried that this incident may jeopardize future prisoner exchanges, potentially leaving their loved ones incarcerated.
The most fundamental information is currently being disputed. Officials from Russia have accused Kyiv of causing the airplane to crash on Wednesday and have alleged that there were 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war on board who were being transported for a prisoner exchange. The Ukrainian perspective stated that there is no proof of POWs and that Russia is manipulating the Ukrainian psyche. However, they did confirm that a prisoner exchange was scheduled for Wednesday.
Interfax reports that the Russian defense industry will significantly increase its production this year, according to the minister.
According to Deputy Defence Minister Alexei Krivoruchko, the Russian defence industry plans to provide the army with a significantly larger amount of military equipment this year compared to 2022 and 2023. This statement was reported by Interfax news on Friday.
The economy of Russia has been put into a state of preparation for war, with defense factories operating 24 hours a day to supply its forces in Ukraine.
The Russian Ministry of Defense Press Service
The pre-trial detention of WSJ reporter Gershkovich has been extended by two months by a Russian court.
On Friday, a court in Moscow granted a two-month extension for the detention of Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich. He is awaiting trial for charges of espionage, which he has refuted.
The released footage from Moscow City Court displayed the journalist confined in a locked enclosure within the courtroom as he awaited the verdict, which prolongs his detention until March 30.
He is entitled to file an appeal within a three-day period. Previous attempts to be released from Lefortovo prison in Moscow before the trial have been rejected.
On March 29, 2023, Gershkovich was taken into custody in Yekaterinburg, Russia for allegedly attempting to acquire classified information. Both he and his publication deny the accusations, and the U.S. government has declared him to be unjustly detained.
Source: independent.co.uk
