According to him, the Kyiv authorities announced their intention to conduct an international investigation into the tragedy.
“We ask for this and insist that an international investigation be carried out,” Putin said.
The Russian leader emphasized that there are no volunteers from international organizations.
Putin also said at a meeting with trusted officials that an Il-76 plane with Ukrainian prisoners was shot down over the Belgorod region by the American Patriot system.
On January 24, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that Ukrainian troops hit a Russian Il-76 military transport plane with captured Ukrainian Armed Forces military personnel over the Belgorod region using an anti-aircraft missile system.
On board were six crew members, 65 military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the exchange and three Russian military personnel accompanying them. They all died.