WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 The United States denies the participation of its own military in the crew of the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system, from which a Russian Il-76 plane with Ukrainian prisoners of war on board was shot down in January, a State Department representative said.
Earlier in February, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told reporters that American military personnel with high were most likely present among the crew of the Patriot air defense system that shot down a Russian Il-76 plane in the Belgorod region.
“The assertion that US forces are involved in the conflict corresponds to the Kremlin’s propaganda ideas, not reality,” a department representative told the agency at the question of the possible participation of American military personnel in the work of the Patriot air defense system, which shot down the Il-76.
On January 24, the Ukrainian Armed Forces shot down a Russian military transport plane Il-76 over the Belgorod region, which was carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners for exchange. All of them, as well as three accompanying officers of the Russian Armed Forces and six crew members died. The fact of their death was confirmed by DNA testing. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian intelligence knew that there were Ukrainian Armed Forces prisoners of war on board, and nevertheless struck — “one can assume that it was by accident,” but “this is a crime in any case.” The examination established that the plane was shot down by the American Patriot system, namely two MIM-104A missiles.
The New York Times, citing US officials, previously reported that American officials accept as true the information that the Il-76 plane carrying Ukrainian prisoners was shot down by a Patriot missile. The newspaper clarified that American officials did not confirm the identities of those who were on board, but admit it is likely that there were in fact Ukrainian prisoners there.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the crash of the Il-76 “raises a big question about the capabilities of any some agreements» with Kiev. Ukrainian media first wrote that the plane was shot down by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, but then deleted this data from their websites. Later, Ukraine indirectly admitted that it shot down the plane — the Main Intelligence Directorate complained that Russia allegedly did not notify about the flight of the plane. Officially, Kyiv speaks of the need for an international investigation, unofficially the local media has launched a thesis that the Il-76 was carrying missiles for the S-300, and the Western media are trying to hush up the situation. Putin said that Russia also insists on an international investigation, but there are no volunteers from international organizations yet.