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White House cannot confirm claims that Ukrainian POWs were in Belgorod Oblast plane crash

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White House cannot confirm claims that Ukrainian POWs were in Belgorod Oblast plane crash
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby speaks during a news conference in Washington, D.C., on March 21, 2023. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The White House is aware of claims that Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) were on a Russian Il-76 transport plane that crashed in Belgorod Oblast on Jan. 24 but is "not in a position to confirm them," U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.

Russian authorities confirmed earlier that the plane had crashed and later claimed that 65 Ukrainian POWs were on board. Ukraine has not confirmed that was the case, although Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR, as it is known in Ukraine) verified that a prisoner swap was planned for Jan. 24.

Ukraine has not taken responsibility for the plane crash.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that the plane was shot down by Ukrainian air defenses operating from Kharkiv Oblast, and said that all 65 POWs were killed, along with three Russian officers and six crew members.

Kirby said the White House had seen the reports of the crash but had no further insights.

"Obviously (we are) doing the best we can to try to get more clarity and more information on it," he added.

Lavrov calls for emergency UN Security Council meeting over plane crash
Speaking at the UN, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the plane crash a “terrorist attack” and held Ukraine responsible.
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Nate Ostiller

News Editor

Nate Ostiller is a former News Editor at the Kyiv Independent. He works on special projects as a researcher and writer for The Red Line Podcast, covering Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and focused primarily on digital misinformation, memory politics, and ethnic conflict. Nate has a Master’s degree in Russian and Eurasian Studies from the University of Glasgow, and spent two years studying abroad at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine. Originally from the USA, he is currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia.

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