Russia Claims Evidence of US Patriot Missiles Downing Its Military Transport Plane, Reports Reuters

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By Guy Faulconbridge

MOSCOW (Reuters) – On Thursday, Russian investigators claimed to have evidence indicating that Ukraine’s military used U.S.-made Patriot surface-to-air missiles to shoot down a Russian Il-76 military transport plane last week.

The Il-76, operated by the Russian Air Force, crashed on January 24. Russia reported that all 74 individuals on board, which included 65 Ukrainian soldiers being transported for a prisoner swap, perished in the incident. Russian authorities have attributed the downing of the plane to forces in Kyiv.

The investigators released footage purportedly showing body fragments, which they assert confirm the presence of Ukrainian military personnel among the deceased.

Kyiv, currently engaged in conflict with Russian forces, has not officially acknowledged whether it was responsible for the plane’s downing. However, Ukrainian officials have challenged the specifics of Moscow’s narrative and have called for an international investigation into the incident.

According to a statement from Russia’s State Investigative Committee, Ukrainian troops in the Kharkiv region allegedly launched two missiles at the aircraft. The released evidence included missile fragments, some of which bore markings with English acronyms and specific details, including references to the Patriot missile system.

The committee stated, "The fragments seized from the scene, based on their design, geometric characteristics, and available markings, belong to the MIM-104A anti-aircraft guided missile of the Patriot system, developed by Raytheon and Hughes corporations and manufactured by Raytheon."

A brief video showcased investigators examining 116 missile fragments at an unidentified location, with one fragment appearing to display "ATRIOT" in English.

In another video, purportedly filmed at the crash site, officials were seen collecting what they claimed were body fragments as evidence. The footage included images of tattooed skin, and Russian authorities suggested that DNA tests matched the remains with identity records of Ukrainian prisoners of war, supporting their assertion that those killed were indeed Ukrainian soldiers.

On Friday, Russia announced the recovery of Ukrainian identification documents and tattooed remains from the vicinity of the crash site near the Ukrainian border.

As of now, Ukraine has not issued a response to the claims made by the investigative committee.