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One year has passed since Moscow accused Kyiv of shooting down a Russian military plane carrying dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war. Ukraine opened an investigation, but has yet to release its findings, leaving questions about who was killed, and why.<\/p>\n
The crash of the IL-76 transport plane in Belgorod region of Russia, near the border with Ukraine, set off a series of recriminations at a delicate moment for Kyiv, as it lobbied for Western aid to build up its depleted weapons stocks.<\/p>\n
Russian officials called it a \u201cterrorist\u201d act and convened an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. Ukrainian officials did not admit or deny<\/a> shooting down the aircraft, and said they could not confirm that Ukrainian prisoners were on board. American officials later assessed<\/a> that it Ukrainian forces had used a U.S.-made Patriot missile to shoot it down, thinking the plane carried Russian missiles and munitions.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have many questions about the situation,\u201d Sofia Sobolyeva, who believes her father was on the plane, said in a recent interview.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n With the families of the prisoners still awaiting answers, here\u2019s what we know about the crash one year on.<\/p>\n Russia\u2019s Defense Ministry said on Jan. 24, 2024<\/a> that one of its military transports had been shot down while en route to Belgorod for a prisoner swap. It said the plane was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war and that no one survived the crash.<\/p>\n Initially, Ukraine asserted its right to target Russian military transport planes in the border area, which had been a staging ground for the 2022 invasion and was used to mount attacks after that. At the time of the crash, deadly Russian missile strikes had been pounding Kharkiv, just across the border in Ukraine, and Kyiv stressed the need to hinder those attacks.<\/p>\n Soon, though, Ukraine\u2019s military intelligence agency hinted at the possibility of a tragic mistake, not directly acknowledging Ukraine had downed the plane but offering explanations for how it might have happened. One Ukrainian official said the IL-76, often used to carry freight, had previously been used<\/a> to deliver ammunition and missiles, suggesting that it was a legitimate target.<\/p>\n The agency acknowledged a prisoner swap had been planned for Jan. 24 \u2014 but said Russia had not warned Ukraine that prisoners were being flown to Belgorod\u2019s airport, as was the case in previous exchanges. Russian officials disputed that<\/a> account, saying Ukraine\u2019s military had been notified.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The diverging claims illustrated the persistent lack of clarity that has become a defining feature of the war. Both sides have pushed their preferred narratives over nearly three years of fighting, and been reluctant to disclose or acknowledge setbacks.<\/p>\n President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine called for his country\u2019s intelligence agency to determine what had happened and for an international investigation into the crash. He accused Russia of \u201cplaying with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners, the feelings of their loved ones and the emotions of our society.\u201d<\/p>\n Ukraine\u2019s domestic intelligence agency opened an investigation into the incident.<\/p>\n Russian officials said the plane had crashed in a snowy field near a settlement in the Korochansky district. No independent groups were able to visit the crash site; Ukraine requested that the Red Cross and United Nations be granted access.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Satellite images and unverified Russian video captured what appeared to be the crash site<\/a> and debris<\/a> of a plane in the area Russia described, but it was not possible to identify passengers from the imagery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Ukrainian officials asked for patience from citizens while they investigated Moscow\u2019s claims.<\/p>\n Prisoner exchanges have occurred regularly throughout the war, even amid bitter fighting. But the Ukrainian authorities typically do not disclose, even to families<\/a>, the names of those set to be released before exchanges.<\/p>\n The Russian authorities did not identify the victims of the crash when they announced it. But the names<\/a> of 65 prisoners of war allegedly on board were shared on social media<\/a> by the editor in chief of RT, the Russian state media broadcaster,<\/p>\n A few days later, the Ukrainian government agency that oversees prisoners of war confirmed that the names<\/a> on the list matched those who were set to be exchanged on the day of the crash. But the agency said it did not have evidence to confirm that those prisoners were aboard the plane, or even that they were dead.<\/p>\n That was around the time, Sofia Sobolyeva said, that her family received a phone call from the military requesting a meeting. Ms. Sobolyeva\u2019s father had been in Russian captivity since March 2022 \u2014 shortly after the start of the war \u2014 and his name was on the list.<\/p>\n \u201cThey gathered us and explained the situation but did not answer any questions,\u201d she said. The authorities pledged to investigate \u201cquickly,\u201d she said, and asked relatives to submit DNA.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The case dropped from the headlines for months. An exchange of remains in early November was the first sign of a potential break.<\/p>\n The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed it was present for a Nov. 8 transfer of remains. Russia said the transfer included the remains of 65 killed in the downing of the IL-76, but that claim could not be independently verified.<\/p>\n \u201cI.C.R.C. did not take part in the identification process,\u201d the agency said this week in response to questions, adding that it stood ready to assist the authorities with technical support.<\/p>\n Ms. Sobolyeva said that the families of the 65, who had formed a WhatsApp group, learned about the transfer and were told by the Ukrainian authorities that \u201ctime was needed for DNA expertise.\u201d<\/p>\n Ukraine\u2019s general prosecutor and security service did not respond to questions from The New York Times about the status of the investigation or whether any remains had been identified.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But there appears to be little dispute over who downed the plane.<\/p>\n Russia\u2019s defense ministry had accused Ukrainian forces of launching missiles from the nearby Kharkiv region of Ukraine that struck the aircraft. American officials briefed on the incident<\/a> later said that Ukraine used a Patriot air defense missile to down the plane.<\/p>\n While Ukraine has not formally accepted responsibility, Ms. Sobolyeva said that\u2019s beside the point now.<\/p>\n \u201cLogically, we understand that Ukraine shot it down,\u201d she said, even though \u201cofficially we have nothing.<\/p>\n What she\u2019s less sure about is whether the families will ever have answers to their other questions \u2014 like how it happened, and why.<\/p>\n She described her father as a kind man with \u201cgolden hands\u201d \u2014 able to fix anything that broke \u2014 who loved gardening.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThere was a lot of stress and tears, but I still can\u2019t understand what happened,\u201d Ms. Sobolyeva said one recent evening.<\/p>\n \u201cNow,\u201d she added, \u201cI just wear his black hat, so I feel warmer \u2014 both mentally and physically.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nConflicting Accounts<\/h2>\n
Calls for investigation<\/h2>\n
Identifying the victims<\/h2>\n
A break in the case<\/h2>\n
Outstanding questions<\/h2>\n