Podolyak names purpose of Russian fake news about IL-76 crash
Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office Mykhailo Podolyak (photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The Russians are manipulating the crash of the Il-76 to slow down the transfer of the air defense system to Ukraine. However, this is not Russia's ultimate goal, states the Advisor to the Head of the Presidential Office Mykhailo Podolyak.
"What I see in this is two points. The first is to slow down the transfer of air defense systems to Ukraine. In recent months, we have seen a large number of Russian planes that have been destroyed. So it is important for Russia to prevent this from happening so that Ukraine does not have the opportunity to shoot down Russian planes or use anti-missile systems along the front line," Podolyak said.
The second goal of the Russians, according to Podolyak, is to reduce the attention of the civilized world to the violation of the rules of war and conventions by the Russian military, showing that both sides allegedly violate them.
Crash of the Russian Il-76 aircraft
On January 24, a Russian military transport aircraft IL-76 crashed in the Korocha district of Belgorod region.
According to RBC-Ukraine's sources, the aircraft was carrying missiles for the S-300 air defense system. At the same time, Russia claims that the plane was carrying 65 prisoners, 6 crew members, and 3 escorts.
Later, Defence Intelligence confirmed that the exchange of prisoners of war was to take place on January 24.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the enemy was playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners and called for an international investigation.
According to Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, there are no signs to indicate that there could have been dozens of people on board the Il-76, as Russia claims.
