State Department has no trust in Kremlin’s statements on Il-76 incident

Deputy Spokesman for the U.S. State Department Vedant Patel made the corresponding statement on Monday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Is it the same level of credible evidence that makes Russia claim that they have Crimea or that all the territory they took from Ukraine is theirs?" the State Department official said, responding to a request from a Russian journalist to comment on the Kremlin's statements regarding Il- 76.

Read also: Russia provides no evidence to support its Il-76 crash claims – US at OSCE

Patel also made it clear that Russia has a long history of spreading lies and disinformation.

In addition, the spokesman said Russia’s statements on the alleged HIMARS strike that killed civilians in Lysychansk also cannot be independently verified given Russia's constant lies.

As reported, last week Putin personally stated that the Il-76 had been allegedly shot down over Belgorod region by the Patriot air defense system from the Ukrainian side, stressing that he demanded an international investigation to be launched.

Read also: Russia exploiting Il-76 crash to sow discontent in Ukraine – ISW

The Russian defense ministry claims that 65 Ukrainian POWs, six crew, and three convoy guards were allegedly on board the plane.

Ukraine’s defense intelligence said the POW exchange had been scheduled for January 24. According to the agency spokesman, Andr Yusov, Russian reports claiming that the Ukrainians were on board the Il-76 were being verified.

President Vodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would insist on an international investigation into the situation around the downing of the Russian IL-76 plane in Belgorod region.

Yusov also said Russia did not agree to such an international probe.