Zelenskyy says Russia ‘playing with lives’ of Ukrainian POWs after crash

Comments come after Russia accused Ukraine of shooting down transport plane killing 65 Ukrainian POWs on board.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of “playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners” over the crash of a military transport plane that Moscow blamed on Ukraine.

The Ilyushin Il-76 came down in the Russian border region of Belgorod on Wednesday, killing everyone on board.

The Russian Ministry of Defence said 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) were on the plane in preparation for a prisoner swap, as well as six Russian crew and three Russian soldiers.

“It is obvious that the Russians are playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners, with the feelings of their relatives and with the emotions of our society,” Zelenskyy said in his Wednesday evening address.

He did not confirm or deny Russia’s claims, but said it had been a “very difficult day”.

“We need to establish all the clear facts. As much as possible, given that the downing of the plane occurred on Russian territory, which is beyond our control,” he said.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, the plane was hit as it was travelling from a military aerodrome near Moscow to Belgorod.

Close to the border with Ukraine, Belgorod has been targeted in recent weeks by Ukrainian air strikes. The ministry claimed, without offering evidence, that radars had detected the launch of two Ukrainian missiles.