Kremlin welcomes Zelensky’s call for international inquiry
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday morning that Russia would welcome an international investigation into the downing of the Il-76.
“If he means an international investigation into the criminal actions of the Kyiv regime, it is definitely needed,” he told reporters in remarks quoted by the Russian Interfax news agency.
“It is still not completely clear what happened. Only yesterday investigators began to study the remains of the plane.”
Mr Peskov added: “The fact that the Ukrainians killed their prisoners, their citizens, who should have been at home literally in a day, is, of course, an absolutely monstrous act.
“I can’t wrap my head around this.”
Zelensky demands international inquiry into downed ‘POW plane’
Volodymyr Zelensky has demanded an international inquiry into the downing of a Russian military aircraft on Wednesday.
“We need to establish all the clear facts,” he said on Wednesday evening.
“As much as possible, given that the downing of the plane occurred on Russian territory, which is beyond our control.”
Moscow has accused Ukraine of using missiles to shoot down the Il-76 in the Belgorod border region and claimed there were 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war on board.